Silk Coverlet

India (probably Bengal for
the Portuguese market),
18th century

Length: 300 cm
Width: 226 cm

A spectacular coverlet of blue satin finely embroidered in chain stitch in pale yellow, white, puce and pale blue silk with a mirror image, the overall design of stylised flowers in bud and bloom, scrolling tendrils, leaves and bows. These decorative elements are repeated in the border, which is framed by smaller borders of scrolling floriated tendrils and, a tasselled polychrome fringe.

A very similar design, with a central escutcheon, is in the Museu de Arte Antiga in Lisbon (ex-Aragao Collection 1902/3). This would suggest that these export embroidered coverlets were made along set designs and were produced in some quantity. However, they are now quite rare and, when found, the silk is in distressed condition. This textile is in superb condition with strong, glowing colours and no loss to the embroidery.

A textile of related colour and design is in the collection of the Museum of Art, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, USA.

Provenance:

Spink & Son, London

Exhibited and Published:

Spink exhibition, Selvage To Selvage, Textiles from East to West, 1998, catalogue number 2.

Literature:

‘Embroided Quilts from the Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga Lisboa: India Portugal China 16th/18th Century’, Kensington Palace, London, 1978, no. 28. Clara Vaz Pinto, ‘Colchas de Castelo Branco’, 1998.