Traveling on India’s west coast in the early seventeenth century, a Frenchman, François Pyrard, recorded in his diary the fabrics he saw. He noted the distinctive cotton textiles richly patterned with brilliant colors, which only the richest Europeans could afford. Certainly he was writing about palempores—lengths of cotton chintz painted in exotic patterns. Palempores were used primarily as hangings and floor coverings for pavilions, tents and palaces; exported to Europe, palempores became bed coverings. A palempore was ornamented completely by hand through a complex series of dyeing and finishing processes and required up to six months to complete.
This particular palempore represents one of two decorative styles. Featuring a central medallion—a coat of arms held aloft by two lions—set against a fantastic ground of floral and vegetal motifs, it is related to Persian carpet designs probably introduced into India by the Mughal rulers. The exotic motifs show the influences of the far-reaching Indian textile market in Europe, Japan, and Java. An object of great rarity and beauty, this palempore exemplifies the technical and aesthetic excellence in textile production developed in India over hundreds of years.
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