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Suzani
Suzani, which means needlework in Persian, is the name given to large, embroidered textiles from Central Asia that were used as hangings or bed covers. These textiles were made of several panels of cotton or linen cloth that were embroidered with silk thread. To create the piece, the designs were first drawn on the panels in ink by either a family member or a hired professional. Several women in the family would then embroider different panels, and after the embroidery was complete, the panels would be sewn together to form the finished cloth. Suzani were made in cities and towns in Central Asia; the different motifs on the textiles indicate where they were produced. This suzani, with its realistic flowers and embroidered birds, is typical of Nurata, a town in central Uzbekistan. It is made of six cotton panels, five of which are complete loom widths, and is embroidered with chain stitch and couching. You can see other textiles from Central Asia in the current exhibition
in Silk
and Leather: Splendid Attire of 19th-Century Central Asia. Balanced plain weave,
embroidery Click
here to
view an archive of objects previously featured as Textile of the Month. |
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