A striking Lahori kantha from the Rajshahi region of Bangladesh, densely worked in running stitch to create an all-over field of shifting diamonds, triangles, chevrons and pinwheel-like forms. The name Lahori or Lohori is generally associated with lahari or lehar, meaning “wave,” a reference to the rhythmic, undulating effect created by its densely repeated geometric stitching rather than to the city of Lahore.
Worked almost entirely in faded red and soft blue against a warm ivory ground, the composition has a remarkably modern, almost Op Art quality. Subtle irregularities in the geometry reveal the hand of the maker, with individual motifs expanding, contracting and changing direction across the surface.
Beneath the embroidery is a fine, commercially woven cotton cloth with traces of a pinkish-red woven stripe. The ground is likely imported mill-made cotton of the type commonly known in Bengal as “Manchester cloth,” reflecting the incorporation of industrially produced textiles into a deeply local tradition of domestic handwork.
The extraordinary density of stitching transforms this modest cotton foundation into a richly textured and highly graphic textile, balancing repetition and improvisation in a manner characteristic of the finest Lahori kanthas.
Size: 3'8" x 5'10" [112cm x 178cm]
Age: Q2 20th Century
Country of Origin: Undivided Bengal
Type of Textile: Kantha
Material: Cotton with cotton embroidery
Condition: Very good
TX683
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