Textiles of India

From the Collections of Textile Arts

The Textiles of India

Textile Arts specializes in Indian textiles made for export, particularly for Southeast Asia. These textiles were an essential part of the spice trade. They were brought from India first by the Indians and Arab traders and later by the Europeans to trade for pepper and nutmeg. Once in Southeast Asia they became important ceremonial objects and with time were venerated with auspicious powers. Going back almost 600 years these export textiles include the richly painted and dyed cottons and the intricate silk double ikats that have made Indian textiles renowned throughout the world.

Prices vary greatly according to age (14th - 19th century) and rarity. Some are complete lengths of cloth or large canopies and others are the surviving fragments of these larger pieces.