Shalimar, 1971-1978
Cotton; batik; dyedexpand_more
Gift of Cowtan & Tout, Inc.expand_more 99.1.722.2
Not on Viewexpand_more
Velvets figured prominently among the printed fabrics chosen for the Great Color of China collection; of the twelve print designs eight were on velvet grounds.
Shalimar is one of the more unusual offerings in this collection. The three colorways available-Mandarin Orange, China Blue, and Ebony-have very little correspondence to the pink-infused palette that Larsen devised. The indigo blue of this piece is commonly found in Chinese textiles and ceramics, but is notably absent in the illustrations of the murals in de Silva's book.
The Larsen publicity for this fabric describes Shalimar: "In a majestic scale, the Imperial lotus pattern has been hand batiked on a silky velvet." The lotus is an important image in Buddhism, where it represents the complete purification of body, speech and mind. It is not, however, one of the Twelve Imperial Symbols that symbolizie the emperor's power and authority.
Details
- Title
- Shalimar
- Artist Life
- New York, est. 1952
- Role
- Designer
- Accession Number
- 99.1.722.2
- Curator Approved
This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
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