Ask the Scholar
Document scope · 1 page
Scholar
Ask about this object, its catalog metadata, its source description, or the page inventory.
For page-specific OCR and visual context, open one of the page chats.
Source Description
Indian craftsmen developed great skill in resist dyeing using both mordants (chemicals that fix dyes) and wax, or some other resist. When mordants were selectively drawn, painted, or printed onto cotton, only those portions of the fabric would accept the dye. In this textile, this technique has been combined with wax resist batik that prevented dyes from penetrating treated portions of the fabric. Indian textiles made for export were patterned with designs and colors that suited the tastes of the markets for which they were produced. This cloth was made for export to Thailand where lattice designs were preferred. While this particular textile would have been used as a wrapped garment, Indian textiles in Thailand served also as room dividers, coverings for floors, and hangings.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
107191
label
Loin Cloth "Pha nung" or Cloth for Wrapped Garment
core
obj
dtoType
object
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
107191
contentType
object
title
Loin Cloth "Pha nung" or Cloth for Wrapped Garment
description
Indian craftsmen developed great skill in resist dyeing using both mordants (chemicals that fix dyes) and wax, or some other resist. When mordants were selectively drawn, painted, or printed onto cotton, only those portions of the fabric would accept the dye. In this textile, this technique has been combined with wax resist batik that prevented dyes from penetrating treated portions of the fabric. Indian textiles made for export were patterned with designs and colors that suited the tastes of the markets for which they were produced. This cloth was made for export to Thailand where lattice designs were preferred. While this particular textile would have been used as a wrapped garment, Indian textiles in Thailand served also as room dividers, coverings for floors, and hangings.
date
late 1800s-early 1900s
rights
CC0
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
wikidata
Q79894702
genreSpecific
Textile
imageCount
1
source
import
dimensionsRaw
Overall: 97.8 x 325.1 cm (38 1/2 x 128 in.)
cul
India, East Coast, late 19th - early 20th century
accession
1925.119
Source extras
tec
tabby weave, mordant resist and batik; cotton
tombstone
Loin Cloth "Pha nung" or Cloth for Wrapped Garment, late 1800s-early 1900s. India, East Coast, late 19th - early 20th century. Tabby weave, mordant resist and batik; cotton; overall: 97.8 x 325.1 cm (38 1/2 x 128 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund, 1925.119
collection
Textiles
creditline
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund
updatedAt
2026-05-29 05:45:50.875000
sourceId
107191
dept
Textiles
coll
Textiles
med
tabby weave, mordant resist and batik; cotton
thumbnail_url
image_url
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
9e04c477a068f233