Less Than Perfect

Less Than Perfect

Fit for a Bride

Bride Phulkari
  • Phulkari
  • Artist unknown
  • Silk embroidery on red cotton
  • Punjab (India/Pakistan), 19th century
  • Koelz Collection, UMMAA 17358
Detail
Detail
Map

The elaborate gold stitching on this exquisite vari di bagh phulkari indicates its importance to the woman who embroidered it for her future daughter-in-law. The shawl is made of three joined strips of red cloth. On one, the artist disrupted the pattern to add two striking elements in white and emerald green. These most likely were stitched to record significant events in her family, such as the birth of a child.