Northern India, Pahari Kingdom of Chamba / 1700s
Rumal with Vishnu temple and subsidiary shrines
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Rumal with Vishnu temple and subsidiary shrines as embroidery (Northern India, Pahari Kingdom of Chamba · 1700s).
This reversible embroidery was made using double-sided satin stitch, so the pictorial composition can be viewed from both sides.
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this embroidery as Silk and silver embroidery on cotton tabby ground.
The museum's collection notes: Two women bring gifts of pure water in a golden pot along with a flower garland to the four-armed blue Vishnu, whose favorite plant, the Tulsi basil, grows in an altar in front of the temple. Ten more shrines round out the sacred complex. To the upper right, the temple of Shiva with his trident stands next to that of his red, elephant-headed son, Ganesha. To the lower left, there appears to be temples to the sun and moon. Silver threads used to denote jewelry have tarnished and appear black. The unfinished border reveals that outlines and stitches for the vines were sewn last.
FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE
The Cleveland Museum of ArtRumal with Vishnu temple and subsidiary shrinesOriginal explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.