COSTUMES
India: Orissa, Sambalpur, Bargarh-Sonepur area
Bhulia (Meher) group [?]
Sari (woman's)
1956
Plain weave; Supplementary warp pattern weave; Supplementary weft patterning; Discontinuous weft; Resist dyed, warp ikat; Resist dyed, weft ikat
Cotton; Vegetable dye (indigo); Vegetable dye (Lodha tree)
4 yds. 5 1/4 in. x 1 yd. 2 1/2 in. (3.79 m x 97.8 cm)
Elizabeth Bayley Willis Collection, gift of Virginia and Prentice Bloedel
TC 58.1-398

Worn for special occasions, this sari features a woven plaid pattern in its central field. The white registration marks which facilitate ikat registration are easily seen in the wide stripes of warp ikat. -- Label copy for Courtyard, Bazaar, Temple: Traditions of Textile Expression in India, Bellevue Art Museum, June 12 to July 25, 1982.

The village of Nuapatna, where this sari comes from is known for its tasar or wild silk. Its cultivation precedes the finer mulberry silk brought from China. Villagers gather the cocoons from the hardwood trees in the hills behind Nuapatna three times a year. The cocoons are then boiled, and women and young girls reel the silk and do the spinning. The dyeing and weaving are done by the men. This ikat sari contains traditional Orissi design and patterning. Repeated lotus blossoms and butterflies make up the design. -- Label copy for Unpacking the Collection, 4/13/1997 – 6/12/1998.