The Costumes of Royal India Exhibition Checklist The Metropolitan Museum of Art Modem India CHINA 0 50 «M 1» MO ?» 300 mm • Th« marking,V int«rru*ton«l rjounoafw* « net author«**« St«* boundanaa THZ :..«;.-?• ;PCT.:TJIN UUaZL'U Of AST. ARcmvss RKGOXO CK f Of yr-| PL'S;..'ÇAT;QKSPL'S;..'CAT;QKS £ \DAr,y>J%(e. Th ¡70. Costumes of Royal Inaia A checklist to the exhibition at The Costume Institute, December 20, 1985, through August 31, 1986 0 Ibim»m - if-» * ' ' " - *— HE MEÌnoPÒUTAN MUSFMM OF ART '• .ARCHIVES This exhibition is made possible by The Christian Humann Foundation and Ratti S.p.A. Additional support has been received from Air India and Mr. and Mrs. Vincente Minetti. Copyright® 1986 by The Metropolitan Museum of Art Published by The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York Bradford D. Kelleher, Publisher John P. O'Neill, Editor in Chief Barbara Burn, Editor Michael Shroyer, Designer Printed and bound in the United States of America Introduction The rich costume tradition of Consideration must also India has long fascinated be given to the pragmatic visitors and scholars alike. aspects of living in the Indian How can it be that a nation climate. The geography of actively contributing to and India varies remarkably from participating in the modern the lush, green, mountainous world has retained forms of regions of Kashmir to the hot, dress as ancient as its arid lands of what is now civilization? What is it in the Rajasthan, to the tropical Indian cultural heritage that jungles of the south. supports and sustains the use Temperature and humidity of traditional clothing? In fact, shift dramatically from day to there is no segment of Indian night and from region to culture that does not reflect region. The wonderful the depth and diversity of its warmth of the Kashmiri shawl heritage and the varied is as welcome against the cool traditions of its people. But in air of a desert evening as it is costume we find a unique against the chill of higher aspect of that culture, one that mountain elevations. The lives today as vitally as it did saree and the turban, on the generations ago. In ceremo­ other hand, are unshaped nies and festivals that mark lengths of fabric worn in such special events, particular a way that, while the body is attention is always paid to cos­ protected from the heat of tume, yet even the everyday direct sunlight, cooling air can dress of Indian men and be captured and circulated women is clearly based on through the folds of the styles developed many years fabric. A number of costumes earlier. in the exhibition are made of One reason for the cotton, a fiber known for its continuity of Indian costume advantages in hot weather. is certainly the importance of The sheer cotton fabric called textiles in the history of India, mull was manufactured in which has produced exquisite India during the eighteenth fabrics for both export and and nineteenth centuries and domestic purposes for can be seen in the translucent centuries. In fact, the white coats worn by princes in Handicraft and Handloom many miniature paintings of Export Company of India, a the time, as well as in Western development agency of the European fashion. Indian government, in order Social and religious life in to support and encourage India also play an important textile production of the part in the styles used for highest quality, commissioned Indian clothing, which is sarees especially for this exhi­ comfortable and easy to wear bition, a fine demonstration of compared to the restrictive, the continuing tradition of tailored clothing of the West. skilled weaving. Indian garments accommodate the bending and kneeling unique costumes could not can represent the joining of required by religious practices have been created The cos­ the rivers Jumna and Ganges, and the routines of everyday tumes in the exhibition, there­ or it may symbolize the sun life. The amount of cloth used fore, feature the.splendid and the moon. A motif for draping the body and nature and diversity of the familiar to us in the Western wrapping the head enables one royal courts of India, but they world is the paisley, which to determine the wealth and also reveal characteristics was named after a town in status of the wearer, as can shared by all Indian people—a Scotland where shawls imitat­ the style of wrapping. The love of symbolic color and ing those made in Kashmir richness of the fiber, the color ornamentation, a preference were woven commercially. and amount of decoration, and for motifs taken from nature, This motif in India can mean the intricacy of the textile and a taste for the qualities of three different things—the design also indicate the reflected light. mango, which implies abun­ wearer's social position. The Tradition is at the very dance; the almond, which Costumes of Royal India readily heart of Indian costume. Not indicates good health; and the reveals, through the sumptu­ only have styles of dress sarpech, or turban ornament ous display of silks, gold and persisted largely unchanged, worn by the ruler, to which silver threads, and jewels, the but their symbolic and belong all the good attributes extraordinary privilege spiritual functions have also of royalty. By incorporating enjoyed by the ruling families. been retained. We have the paisley motif into a As plans for the Festival sought, in the context of this costume, the maker seeks to of India, a series of exhibitions exhibition, to explore some of invest the wearer with auspi­ celebrating Indian art and these traditional relationships. cious wishes for an abundant culture held in the United For example, the first gallery life, good health, and good States during 1985, were here represents the festival of character. being formulated, and as the Divali, marking the financial The importance of nature participation of The Metropol­ New Year, which takes place in Indian life is also revealed in itan Museum of Art was being in late October or early costume design. The color of determined, the decision was November, after the monsoon the violet gallery represents made to include in the Cos­ season. During this festival, the fruit of the jamon tree, tume Institute exhibition only the women of Rajasthan wear which in turn symbolizes the costumes worn by the princely black costumes trimmed in holy scriptures of India. This families. We wished to exhibit gold, silver, and red, and they is also one of the colors of the examples of the very finest dance before the ruler, asking twilight that follows the craftsmanship to be found in him to intercede with the gods monsoon. Indian culture is the remarkable textiles and to ensure a bountiful harvest. deeply rooted in the shared embroideries for which India Colors and motifs experience of natural pheno­ had been famed for centuries. decorating Indian costumes mena; the heat of the desert The very existence of crafts­ have symbolic as well as and jungle, the monsoon, and men who wove textiles of fine decorative functions. Red, a the cycles of the sun, moon, cotton, beautiful silk, and dye obtained from madder, and planets all play a role in precious metals was depend­ penetrates fiber deeply and forming Indian attitudes ent on the wealth and patron­ thus represents the love of toward life and art. age of these families. Without Krishna and Radha, making it In this exhibition, we have the demand generated by a an appropriate color for Hindu attempted to show the context lifestyle of the greatest lux­ brides. The use of both gold of Indian court life for which ury, such skilled crafts would and silver in a piece of these costumes were made. In not have developed and these embroidery or on a costume galleries devoted to women's costumes, there is no more stronger in India. In particular, also gives the opportunity to than one man represented, the influence of British civil express our appreciation to because in the palace women uniforms can be seen in the the many individuals who lived in the zenana, or women's style of the later embroideries. made such generous loans and quarters, and the only man It is interesting to note, who gave so willingly of their allowed to enter was the ruler however, that in this instance, time and talents to this himself. In the gallery devoted as with the introduction of fourteenth exhibition con­ to men's costume, there are no so many other foreign ideas, ceived and organized by Diana women present—they would the craftsmen absorbed the Vreeland. We would like to have observed the men's essence with a traditionally express our deep gratitude to ceremonies but from behind Indian interpretation, there­ Bhawani Singh of Jaipur, pierced screens in the by creating a composite without whose spontaneous women's quarters. Only the expression. and unhesitating support this rustle of silk or the glitter of The exhibition does not exhibition would not have gold through the screens seek to represent all of India, been possible. Our thanks are would indicate their presence. or even a majority of the five due as well to the Develop­ Another aspect of Indian hundred princely states. ment Commission of Hand- costume that the exhibition Rather, it seemed important to looms of the government of seeks to demonstrate is the focus on the area of India India for its support and to the diversity of styles. Often we where the political and HHEC of India for having think of the saree as the most economic power had been administered the project so common type of Indian concentrated for hundreds of completely.