Valance, blue-resist textile
Unknown Artist
ca. 1725–75
Medium
Cotton, painted and block-printed resist, dyed
Dimensions
50 x 18 in. (127 x 45.7 cm)
Classification
Valance, blue-resist textile
Culture
Indian textile for American market
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mrs. Lentilhon Gilford Fluegge, 1965
Accession Number
65.243
Art Historical Context
This exquisite blue-resist valance, crafted around 1725–75, exemplifies the vibrant cultural exchange between India and colonial America. Produced by an unknown Indian artisan for the American market, cotton textile served as a decorative bed or window hanging, adorning homes during the height of transatlantic trade. Its presence in The American Wing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art how luxury Indian imports influenced everyday American interiors, blending Eastern artistry with New World tastes. The valance's medium—cotton painted and block-printed with resist techniques before dyeing—showca...