Loin Cloth "Pha nung" or Cloth for Wrapped Garment
Unknown Artist
late 1800s-early 1900s
Medium
tabby weave, mordant resist and batik; cotton
Dimensions
97.8 × 325.1 cm
Classification
Textile
Department
Textiles
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund
Accession Number
1925.119
About this artwork
Indian craftsmen developed great skill in resist dyeing using both mordants (chemicals that fix dyes) and wax, or some other resist. When mordants were selectively drawn, painted, or printed onto cotton, only those portions of the fabric would accept the dye. In this textile, this technique has been combined with wax resist batik that prevented dyes from penetrating treated portions of the fabric. Indian textiles made for export were patterned with designs and colors that suited the tastes of th...