2002 Antique Palampore Kalamkari Fragment - Ceylon

Antique Palampore Kalamkari - Fragment

A kalamkari / chintz / palampore in brilliant colors made on a fine cloth for the Ceylon market

Featuring large floral patterns with face-like motifs. Borders have a beautiful blue. Also has a corrosive brown that has been destructive. 

The browns have corroded all over and have eaten into the cloth, leaving the textile in a fragile fragmentary state with holes where the brown has been used. Although complete, I have called it a fragment to ensure that the condition is amply conveyed. 

Appears to be wholly hand painted and drawn 

Originally used on a bed. Also used as a wall-hanging. [See image seen in temple] 

148 x 239cm

Estimated to be from the mid-late 1800s

Because of the condition, it is likely only serious collectors who can see it as a project of 'saving the textile' will enjoy this textile completely.

This textile is in need of extreme tender loving care as the brown areas are in various stages of being cut away from the rest of the cloth. Currently held together with tape on the back. 

Textile has been staged on a white cloth for photography. 

The images of the textile on the wall have been created digitally for visualisation purposes and are not to size. 

This item has spent a lifetime being used for the purpose of its creation with the original artist/user. Signs of this life lived heartily may be present on the piece in the form of stains, thread loss, loose threads, holes, tears, color run and other imperfections. Therefore the condition must be assumed to be “not” perfect. More photos of such imperfections will be provided on request.