Funeral Hanging (Kosa Sin)
19th century
Medium
Cotton and silk, plain weave with supplementary brocading wefts
Dimensions
137.8 × 62.6 cm (54 1/4 × 24 5/8 in.)
Classification
textile
Department
Textiles
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
135605
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
This ceremonial funerary hanging (kosa sin) from Laos would have been displayed exclusively on ritual occasions. It depicts many different anthropomorphic and mythical animals—the frogs and butterflies, for example, represent ancestors. The two largest central creatures, one in yellow and the other upside down in white, are long-nosed lions that symbolize protection against evil spirits. Each one carries a spirit rider on its back; the lions’ hollow bodies enclose successively smaller versions ...