Cleveland Museum of Art

Spread with floral medallion pattern

Date

1700s

Medium

Cotton: plain weave, quilted; silk and gilt-metal thread: embroidery, couched laid work

Culture

Mughal India, Deccan, probably Goa

Department

Textiles

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

This textile could have been used as a covering for seating on the floor or as a bedspread in either an Indian or European setting. In any case, it was not meant to be walked on. Its material and imagery testify to flourishing international relationships. The arabesque designs, consisting of swirling vines with large and small flowers, recall a radiant paradise and have roots in Persian, Chinese, and Mediterranean sources. The use of gold-wrapped thread had been widespread in Spain and Portugal before it was adopted in India, probably first in Goa, a Portuguese colony on the southwestern coast of India from 1510 to 1961. The vibrant colors are distinctive to this region of India. A small blue and yellow bird perches at the center of the otherwise solely floral design.

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