TEXTILES
India: Rajasthan, Ajmer
Kanat (tent hanging)
18th century
Plain weave; Painted; Resist dyed, mordant resist; Painted (on fabric)
Cotton; Vegetable dye (indigo)
88 x 41 1/2 in. (2.24 x 1.05 m)
Elizabeth Bayley Willis Collection
TC 58.2-90

A textile that combines mordant dyeing, indigo dyeing, and use of resists with the additional element of painting is the kanat. This type of tent hanging is one of a series of panels that were used by Mughal courts to create temporary encampments. The mihrab, or prayer niche, containing a single flowering plant, and the scroll-like vines and stylized flowers of the borders are motifs commonly seen on kanats. The top band of this tent hanging is a decorative interpretation of the kanguri, the uppermost sculptural element of a kila (fortress), a distinctive feature of the Rajasthani landscape. -- Label copy for Courtyard, Bazaar, Temple: Traditions of Textile Expression in India, Bellevue Art Museum June 12 to July 25, 1982.