kantha cloths

Kantha (embroidered quilt), Made in India, Second half of the 19th century, Artist/maker unknown, Bangladesh or India, (Undivided Bengal), Cotton plain weave with cotton and silk embroidery in back, buttonhole, darning, satin, split, running, eye, dot, and fern stitches, 33 1/2 x 33 1/2, Kantha (embroidered quilt), Made in India, Second half of the 19th century, Artist/maker unknown, Bangladesh or India, (Undivided Bengal), Cotton plain weave with cotton embroidery in back, darning, satin, running, eye, arrowhead, and fern stitches, 32 x 31 3/4, Kantha (embroidered quilt), Made in Faridpur, Bangladesh, Second half of the 19th century, Artist/maker unknown, Bangladesh or India, (Bengal) Faridpur District, Cotton plain weave with cotton embroidery in back, buttonhole, darning, outline, satin, split, running, seed, fern, dot, and zigzag variation stitches, 29 x 30, Kantha (embroidered quilt), Made in Jessore, Bangladesh, Second half of the 19th century, Artist/maker unknown, Bangladesh or India, (Bengal) Jessore District, Cotton plain weave with cotton embroidery in buttonhole, darning, satin, dot, seed, and stem stitch shading stitches, 35 x 32, Kantha (embroidered quilt), Made in Panjia, Jessore, Bangladesh, Late 19th century, Artist/maker unknown, Bangladesh or India, (Bengal) Panjia, Jessore, Cotton plain weave with cotton embroidery in back, chain, darning, outline, satin, split, fishbone, arrowhead, dot, eye, zigzag variation, and surface satin stitches, 76 1/2 x 46, Kantha (embroidered quilt), Second half of the 19th century, Bangladesh or India, (Bengal), Faridpur District, Cotton plain weave with cotton embroidery in back, chain, darning, satin, running, dot, and seed stitches, 28 3/4 x 28 1/2

i can't get enough of the imagery and the masterful handwork of these amazing textiles. this show is a must-see if you can get to the perelman building at the philadelphia museum of art. if not, you're in luck because you can view the whole thing online with a sophisticated image viewer that allows you to zoom in on details...see more here.