Minneapolis Institute of Art

Wedding veil (Phulkari)

India (Punjab)

Date

first quarter of the 20th century

Medium

Cotton, silk, embroidery

Department

Asian Art

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

The Western world strongly associates beauty with good fortune. This connection is not taken for granted in South Asia. The region's folklore holds a deep-seated fear that beauty and happiness may attract the attention of envious evil spirits. Symbolic defacement serves as a protective charm. A black mark is drawn on a child's forehead; a dark spot is embroidered on a woman's wedding veil. India

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