Kurta
A 19th-century kurta of green silk with tiny mirror pieces set closely into the chest panel, mirrorwork embroidery that sparkles in the light. Full commentary ↓
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Kurta is a textile by an unknown maker (19th century) in the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. It measures 116.8 cm.
In the pictureEmbroidered panels edged in red are attached to the chest and sleeves of a long garment of pale green silk. Small pieces of mirror are set into the panels in a grid, so from a distance they look like a pattern of silver dots. Below the chest hangs a large flower-shaped ornament in red embroidery, while the hem is left plain, with only the sheen of the silk.
BackgroundEmbroidery that fixes small mirrors onto cloth is a traditional technique of western India and the Sindh region of Pakistan, and it is linked to the belief that shining mirrors deflect evil. Kurta is the word for a long tunic worn across South Asia. A garment with mirrors set this densely on a silk ground was most likely made not for everyday wear but for occasions such as feasts or weddings.
Puzzle tipAs a puzzle it splits into three zones: the mirrorwork by its grid of dots, the red borders and flower ornament by color, and the green silk by the brightness of its sheen. The lower part, with its wide green areas, has similar-looking pieces that tend to be left until last, so turn on the preview and use the bright lines of the folds as guides.
- Classification
- Main dress
- Medium
- Silk; mirror embroidered
- Dimensions
- 116.8 cm
- Credit line
- Gift of Ethel Frankau, 1950
Source: The Metropolitan Museum of Art ↗
Stories about this work
- Angarkha, Choga, and Kurta: Embroidery and Weaving in Indian Menswear
The kurta is a long shirt worn across South Asia, the angarkha a robe that fastens diagonally across the chest, the choga a loose open-front robe. Nine 18th–19th century garments at the Met show the differences and the embroidery.
