Indo-Portuguese Quilting Tradition: the Cross-Cultural Context
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University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Proceedings of the 4th Biennial Symposium of the International Quilt Museum International Quilt Museum 4-27-2009 Indo-Portuguese Quilting Tradition: The Cross-Cultural Context Patrick J. Finn University of Nebraska - Lincoln, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/iqsc4symp Part of the Social and Cultural Anthropology Commons Finn, Patrick J., "Indo-Portuguese Quilting Tradition: The Cross-Cultural Context" (2009). Proceedings of the 4th Biennial Symposium of the International Quilt Museum. 2. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/iqsc4symp/2 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the International Quilt Museum at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Proceedings of the 4th Biennial Symposium of the International Quilt Museum by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. Indo-Portuguese Quilting Tradition: The Cross-Cultural Context Patrick J. Finn, Fellow The International Quilt Study Center and Museum University of Nebraska - Lincoln Vrindavan, India, March 2009 Indo-Portuguese Quilting Tradition: The Cross-Cultural Context Introduction overlooked development was the richly maturing Vijayanagar Empire ruled from Hampi, Karnataka. It was within this social, Fig. 1 Vijayanagar, Hampi, Karnataka. During festival times these great halls would be decorated with lavish The arrival of the Portuguese in India at the end of 15th century political, religious and economic climate that the Portuguese and embroidered hangings and arranged with quilts for sitting. marks the beginning of a significant period of bilateral cultural other colonialists produced a distinctive group of embroidered exchange of quilting concepts, designs and techniques. As early quilts that have come to be known by various names: Bengalla as the 4th century BCE, India had developed a rich and varied quilts, Satgaon quilts, and those included under the broader textile tradition recognized internationally. Subsequent to the heading of colcha. They have also been termed Indo-Portuguese; Portuguese opening the trade route around the Cape of Good however, Irwin notes that this term is misleading and thus Hope in 1498, many Europeans voyaged to India in search of categorizes them as “objects made in Portugal by immigrant trade opportunities. However, it was the Portuguese who initially oriental craftsmen; works by Portuguese craftsmen resident in the explored the potential of Indian embroidered textiles, including East; and thirdly, works of ‘genuine oriental industry’ made in 2 quilts. “It was their familiarity with Islamic and Judaic culture the East under Portuguese patronage.” The quilts explored here which enabled the new arrivals to interact with the local elite include those manufactured in India for European interests, i.e., and access the sophisticated production of the karkhanas (royal the British and Dutch. Yet, what inspired this textile production? workshops.)”1 Where did the Portuguese see indigenous works? Who was producing them, and under what conditions? These questions, The intent of this paper is to examine the mutual exchange of along with those raised by Palchoudhury and Dutta in Satgaon design concepts, motifs and techniques evidenced in both Indian Quilts: An Initial Study, are addressed in this paper. domestic quiltmaking and the quilts made in India for colonial offshore markets. This paper also surveys the origins of design, Where the quilts were made, who made them and for whom the techniques employed and the context in which the quilts were sheds significant light on the cross-cultural design features produced. incorporated in these textile masterworks. Due to the lack of extensive documentation on quilt production of the period, The Europeans produced quilts not only at Satgaon, but also it is worthwhile to reexamine the secondary sources in a other locations on the subcontinent. This paper investigates these historical and economic context. Therefore, pertinent time- locations and their quilts types in hopes of better identifying the lines, European travel documents, records compiled by Indian few remaining examples in collections worldwide. residents and other art forms are investigated for clues that will lend an understanding of their design features. Additionally, the karkhanas are examined to shed light on one of the probable The Historical, Social and Economic Context sources of quilt production for the European colonials. “The sixteenth century was marked by two dramatic developments in India’s cultural history: the beginnings of In his article, Trade in Pre-Colonial Bengal, Biplab Dasgupta3 European involvement in India’s international trade and the makes a persuasive argument that “External trade was never establishment of the Mughal empire.” A third, and at times 2 Irwin, John. (Dec., 1955), Reflections on Indo-Portuguese Art. The Burlington Magazine, Vol. 97, No. 633. 386-390 1 Varadarajan, Lotika 16th Century Synthesis to Contemporary Glo- 3 Dasgupta, Biplab. Trade in Pre-Colonial Bengal, balization. Exhibition Notes Social Scientist, Vol. 28, No. 5/6. (May - Jun., 2000), 47-76. a strong point of the Indian or Bengal economy and society.” Craft producers are attached specialists (Brumfiel south, and the Europeans who traded with both. The best artisans dozen quilts of Satgaon, trimmed them with silk fringe and lined Although he cites a number of issues, the most convincing and and Earle 1987:5; Earle 1987:73), spatially and were brought to the major urban centers, sometimes against their them partly with ‘taftas’ and partly with ‘tessur.’8 There are no relevant to this discussion is that, “The source of production economically bound to the institutions that control own wishes, to enhance the status of the royal courts and nobility details how these quilts left India, but they would have gone to a and the ultimate point of consumption, in case of external production. Administered production is expected and to work at the discretion of foreign interests. This economic seaport, most likely on the west coast; how they were transported trade, were connected by a chain of intermediaries, each to focus on certain classes of goods: objects used and historic environment produced the unique Bengalla quilts is unknown. Nonetheless, these quilts were well traveled by the operating individually, and each having a small, localized area in the acquisition, expansion, manipulation, and over a short period of time, and there has not been any textile time they arrived in London. of operation.” Dasgupta’s perspective provides one economic expression of elite status and political dominance. since to match the unique designs and quality of workmanship. context for the discussion of Indo Portuguese quilts and draws These “wealth objects” (Brumfield and Earle The Portuguese first landed in Calicut (Kerala) with Vasco da attention to the fact that these quilts were only a small part of a 1987:4) may either be rare and precious goods that Gama on May 20, 1498. Twelve years later, in 1510, Admiral larger textile and spice trade network. Although he suggests the convey social standing, or more common goods The Trade Dynamics Afonso de Albuquerque defeated the Bijapur sultans on behalf localization of production and a chain of intermediaries, this is crucial to the acquisition of wealth and power of the local sovereign, Timayya, leading to the establishment of only part of the economic picture at the time. 6 through long-distance trade or as royal largesse. To understand the context of quilt production, it is useful to a permanent settlement in Velha Goa (or Old Goa). In the 1620s Furthermore, India’s highly structured social discuss the manufacturing and trade dynamics of the period. the British, then the Dutch, settled their first bases of operations Indian-made quilts were considered a novelty in Europe, system and the Hindu, Muslim and Jain religions India enjoyed a two thousand year old trade industry in in Surat, Gujarat. They went on to expand their territories though never produced in as great a quantity as other exported 7 dictated a proliferation of specific skill sets through handloom textiles dating from the Roman era. “Indian craftsmen through wars with each other, the Mughal and Vijayanagar piece goods. Records and letters do indicate concern over their castes, families and division of labor in public and were long accustomed to catering and adapting to the demands Empires, and local rulers. This period is marked by constant manufacture and style, but they never figured significantly in private workshops. The Mughals in northern India of foreign clients. This implies that Indian textile designs, colors warfare, all the while conducting the business of spice, turned the overall trade. For example, the pintado (Portuguese for controlled manufacturing via the administrative and techniques would be modified to produce merchandise textile trade. ‘painted’ or ‘spotted’ chintz quilts) were only sold to particular production system of onsite karkhanas, while acceptable to offshore cultural sensibilities. Further, the foreign buyers and given as gifts to important persons.4 In 1631 Charles in the south, the Vijayanagar rulers relied upon made-to-order textiles also influenced local textile design.” I in Royal Proclamation “Quilts of Patania [Patan, Gujarat] centralized production with “spatially segregated By 1535 the