Large and very rare Kantha Quilt from Bengal, early twentieth Century. Hand embroidered wool on linen, lined with a blue cotton backing. 175cm x 175cm (68.8 x 68.8 inches).
 
Exceptionally decorative and charming. The dense needlework covering 100% of the surface in a wild and beautifully drawn design of birds and beasts, trees and mountains. The running stitches, snaking and weaving around and among the design give the piece the vitality and energy of a Van Gough sky.
 
Kantha textiles are a hereditary craft, the skill being passed down among rural women in West Bengal and Bangladesh. They are mats, covers, bedspreads etc and are traditionally made out of old and worn out garments, such as sarees or dhotis. Where many incorporate wildlife, or scenes of everyday activity, this piece has a fanciful, exotic feel incorporating animals from around the globe; there is a kangaroo, a giraffe, a host of big cats, a bear, many things we can only guess at and a duck pond that looks decidely English.
 
It is a heavy piece and hangs well without folds forming. (In our images it is hung from chains on four carpet clips) Would look amazing in a childs room or nursery but equally at home covering a living room wall.
 
Condition:
There are numerous small losses of embroidery, around the brown border edge and among the central field, and two larger areas of more extensive damage: At the bottom left, one of the leaping deer (the fifth up from the bottom) has lost it's hind feet along with some tree and background. Further up the left side, above the big cats, there is a loss to the top of the mountain in the background. However, this is a large piece and even with these losses it is over 99% intact. Overall, the piece is in excellent condition and needs to be inspected up close for most of the damage to be apparent.
 
Please use this link to see many more images including close ups of condition. There is far too much to this for us to do it justice on the listing
 
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