Background Texture: Lives and Landscapes of Bengal’s Embroidered Quilts

Mason, Darielle

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Background Texture: Lives and Landscapes of Bengal’s Embroidered Quilts

Darielle Mason

Description: Kantha: The Embroidered Quilts of Bengal from the Jill and Sheldon Bonovitz...

Kantha: The Embroidered Quilts of Bengal from the Jill and Sheldon Bonovitz Collection and the Stella Kramrisch Collection of the Philadelphia Museum of Art

Recycled rags, household cloths, ritual actions, women’s personal expressions, intergenerational bonds, icons of cultural and national identity, links with the ancient past, representations of cosmic reintegration, works of art...

Author

Darielle Mason

PublisherPhiladelphia Museum of Art

Related print edition pages: pp.1-29

https://doi.org/10.37862/aaeportal.00323.1

Stable URL: https://aaeportal.com/?id=-22912

Chapter subject tags:Bengal (India)--HistoryKanthasWomen, BengaliRites and ceremonies--IndiaHindu mythology

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List of illustrations

Groom seated on a kantha, Mathbari village by Uddin, Shehab
By John Carlson
on Sep 12
2007
Rice and banana cultivation near Paharpur by Mason, Darielle
By John Carlson
on Sep 12
2006
View of a Bengal Village by Bourne, Samuel
By John Carlson
on Sep 12
1863
A local tree shrine with clay votive horses and elephants, near Bishnupur by Mason, Darielle
By John Carlson
on Sep 12
1998
Kantha (Embroidered Quilt), detail by Unknown
By John Carlson
on Sep 12
1800–1900
Women processing rice, including pounding with a dheki by Unknown
By John Carlson
on Sep 12
c. 1840
Bride being presented with ritual objects on a kula, Mathbari village by Uddin, Shehab
By John Carlson
on Sep 12
2007
Kantha (Embroidered Quilt), detail of the central lotus by Unknown
By John Carlson
on Sep 12
1800–1900
Girl with lotus flowers collected from a pond, village near Pabna by Uddin, Shehab
By John Carlson
on Sep 12
2007
Design of an alpana for Lakshmi Puja by Unknown
By John Carlson
on Sep 12
1921
Lakshmi-Narayana by Unknown
By John Carlson
on Sep 12
c. 1950
Kantha (Embroidered Quilt), detail of a corner kadamba tree by Unknown
By John Carlson
on Sep 12
1800–1900
Canopy of a kadamba tree by Akter, Bayazid
By John Carlson
on Sep 12
2008
Flowers of a kadamba tree by Tushar, M. Yousu
By John Carlson
on Sep 12
2007
Shiva's Marriage by Unknown
By John Carlson
on Sep 12
1900–1925
Bride covering her face with a betel leaf as she is carried on a pidi around the groom, who stands on a second pidi by Hacker, Kiran
By John Carlson
on Sep 12
2008
Fish-shaped sondesh in a sweet shop by Mason, Darielle
By John Carlson
on Sep 12
2006
Fish-shaped containers and other dokra (resin-thread recycled metal) objects by Unknown
By John Carlson
on Sep 12
1900–2000
Kantha (Embroidered Quilt), detail by Unknown
By John Carlson
on Sep 12
1900–1950
A bride in a palki followed by musicians by Rana, Masud
By John Carlson
on Sep 12
2005
An enthroned shaligrama (ammonite embodiment of Vishnu) by Unknown
By John Carlson
on Sep 12
c. 1890–1900
Kantha (Embroidered Quilt), detail depicting from above the flowers and leaves floating in a kosha (ritual water vessel) by Unknown
By John Carlson
on Sep 12
1900–1950
Image prepared for Durga Puja showing the goddesss Durga and her lion destroying the demon Mahisha by Unknown
By John Carlson
on Sep 12
2008
Kantha (Embroidered Quilt), detail showing a linga topped by a triple bel leaf and fruit offerings by Unknown
By John Carlson
on Sep 12
1875–1900
Woman lustrating a large linga by Mason, Darielle
By John Carlson
on Sep 12
2006
Kantha (Embroidered Quilt), detail showing a battle between Ravana and Rama by Unknown
By John Carlson
on Sep 12
1800–1900
Battle of Lanka by Unknown
By John Carlson
on Sep 12
1800–1900
Sari (Baluchar Butidar) by Unknown
By John Carlson
on Sep 12
1800–1900
Kantha (Embroidered Quilt), detail showing the roundel bearing the inscription Ya Allah by Unknown
By John Carlson
on Sep 12
1800–1900
Kantha (Embroidered Quilt), detail showing the underdrawing of a gopi in the vastraharana episode by Unknown
By John Carlson
on Sep 12
1800–1900
A Babu with His Bibi by Unknown
By John Carlson
on Sep 12
c. 1890
Tom Raw visits Taylor and Co.'s emporium in Calcutta by D'Oyly, Charles
By John Carlson
on Sep 12
c. 1828
Kantha (Embroidered Quilt), detail showing a train engineer using a kula-shaped coal shovel by Unknown
By John Carlson
on Sep 12
1875–1925
Kantha (Embroidered Quilt), detail showing a steam-driven pleasure mayurpankhi (peacock-prowed boat) by Unknown
By John Carlson
on Sep 12
1875–1925
A design being transferred to silk for women to embroider in kantha work at the NGO Siban Udyog by Mason, Darielle
By John Carlson
on Sep 12
2006
Kantha (Embroidered Quilt), detail showing the popular elephant riders and a tiger with rider by Unknown
By John Carlson
on Sep 12
1875–1900
Kantha Placemat (Embroidered Quilt) by Unknown
By John Carlson
on Sep 12
c. 1980–1990
Two women working together on a large kantha in the workshop of the West Bengal Crafts Council by Mason, Darielle
By John Carlson
on Sep 12
2009
A woman engages her daughter in her embroidery at the NGO Siban Udyog by Mason, Darielle
By John Carlson
on Sep 12
2006