Red, brown, yellow and white silk textile covered with geometric, star and heart-shaped ikat motifs, probably made specifically for export to South East Asia. [JP 15/5/2003]

Collection type: Object
Description: Red, brown, yellow and white silk textile covered with geometric, star and heart-shaped ikat motifs, probably made specifically for export to South East Asia. [JP 15/5/2003]
Long description: Double ikat technique. This textile has a wide red border around all four sides. The borders running along the length of the textile (the warp direction) contain narrow yellow, white and green stripes. Next to these are two wider white stripes each with a zig-zag edge, and between these two stripes is a continuous row of heart and flower shaped motifs. The borders on the ends of the textile (the weft direction) have three horizontal bands of heart shaped and geometric motifs in white, brown and yellow. The heart motifs are also accented with blue. The main centre field of the textile has a brown background covered with a red and white trellis/ diagonal grid pattern, and inside each of the openings is a circle or an eight-pointed star motif. Fringed at the ends and there is a small brown bead on one of the corners of the fringe. [JP 15/5/2003]
Geographical reference: India
Asia > Southern Asia > India; Indonesia
Asia > South-eastern Asia > Indonesia; Gujarat Java
Person: Field collector George Wood; Field collector Felicity Wood; PRM source George Wood; PRM source Felicity Wood
Date / Period: Date made: Before 1982
Date collected: 1982
Acquisition information: Donated: 2003
Materials and processes: Material Silk Textile Animal, Material Bead, Process Woven, Process Ikat Resist Dyed
Dimensions: Width 884 mm, Length 1320 mm
Object numbers: Accession number: 2003.69.73 Other numbers: I1
Research and responses: Patola is a type of double-sided ikat silk sari from North-west India, worn on ceremonial occasions. Historically it was widely traded across South East Asia and its design elements were incorporated into local Indonesian cloths. Source: Traditional Indonesian Textiles by John Gillow. Thames and Hudson: London. 1995. p. 73.
It is probable that this particular textile was made for export to Indonesia where the donor purchased it. Crill reports that the ikat designs on patola made for export to South-East Asia are primarily a geometric or star form as with this textile. In India patola are worn as saris but this example appears to be too small to be worn in such a way. This also suggests that this piece was made specifically for export as a shoulder-cloth or a ceremonial textile for display. Crill notes that the export of patola to South East Asia ceased at the beginning of the Second World War, but that they are treasured as heirlooms in Indonesian villages and are worn at ceremonies in Java. However, as it is unclear where this textile was obtained by the woman from whom the donor bought it the date made information on this record has not taken that into account. Source: Indian Ikat Textiles by Rosemary Crill. V & A Publications: London, 1998. [JP 14/5/2003]
Associated publications: Illustrated in colour on page 7 of 'Made for Trade' by Julia Nicholson and Faye Belsey, the booklet produced to accompany the temporary exhibition with the same title 'Made for Trade' held at the Pitt Rivers Museum from the 18th July 2011 to 27 January 2013. Illustrated with the caption "patola cloth made in India for export to Java, Indonesia" Illustrated opposite 1951.9.5. [FB 16/01/2013]

Search terms: Textile, Ritual and Ceremonial, Clothing Textile, Ceremonial Object, Shawl