Indian, India Coromandel Coast

Reminiscent of a Persian carpet design, this cotton mat is organized around an ornate central medallion, corner segments, and framing borders. This formal arrangement is offset by playful creatures—monkeys and birds—inhabiting the swirling foliage of exotic flowers. Highly skilled artisans working in several stages produced this kalamkari chintz, or cotton cloth painted and printed in many colors using a brush (kalam), patterned woodblock stamps, and mordant dyes. For centuries, Indian artisans held the secret to printing fine cotton fabric with colorfast dyes and enjoyed a monopoly on the export of such designs, produced according to the tastes of clientele spanning the globe