Block-printed cotton textile, tabby
Gujarat, India; 14th century
H: 59.5; W: 44 cm
Inventory number 33/1999
Gujarat, on India’s west coast, grew wealthy thanks to its good commercial contacts and did not come under direct Muslim dominance until 1298. The sultanate was well known for its printed cotton textiles, which were exported over great distances, reaching as far as Indonesia and Egypt.
Many Indian export fabrics have in fact been found in Fustat, outside Cairo, some of them closely related to this textile. Its motif consists of flowers and leaves printed in blue and russet. Two blocks were used. Where the two overlap, a darker blue was produced, and where both have surfaces that were cut away, we see the textile’s grayish-white ground.
Many Indian export fabrics have in fact been found in Fustat, outside Cairo, some of them closely related to this textile. Its motif consists of flowers and leaves printed in blue and russet. Two blocks were used. Where the two overlap, a darker blue was produced, and where both have surfaces that were cut away, we see the textile’s grayish-white ground.
