Choga

In the pictureA loose outer robe of magenta silk, densely woven in gold thread with large paisleys (teardrop-shaped motifs with curled tips) and vines, is shown on a mannequin. The neck is cut in a deep V down to near the solar plexus, with a single small fastening at its point. The sleeves flare wide from the shoulders and are wider at the wrist, and the hem falls below the knee. Where the metallic thread catches the light it looks almost gold, and in shadow it looks magenta, so the same cloth seems a different color from place to place. The paisleys appear especially large toward the bottom of the robe.

BackgroundThe Met's record describes it as an outer robe made in India in the late 19th century and lists the materials only as silk and metal wrapped thread. With no mention of embroidery, the pattern appears to have been woven into the cloth. Metal wrapped thread is made by winding a thin strip of metal around a core thread such as silk. It is 124.5 cm high, and its width with the sleeves spread reaches 203.8 cm. It was given in 1950 by the stage designer Aline Bernstein. Unlike the wool choga (86173) and the velvet choga (86177) of the same name, which have embroidered bands around their edges, this robe is made entirely from a single patterned cloth and has no separate border trim.

Puzzle tipThe same paisleys and vines repeat over the whole robe, so the pattern is little help in finding positions. Start with pieces whose shapes are distinct, such as the WOLF lettering on the mannequin's neck, the V neckline, the outer contours of the sleeves spreading to either side, and the hemline. Divide the body by the difference in brightness between the strongly golden center and the shaded sides, and judge the height of the hem by the large paisleys at the bottom. Turn on the preview; 48 pieces is recommended.