Turkmen Embroidery, Yomud tribe, late 19th century, 1' 4" x 1' 5"
| Turkmen embroidery is one the last "frontiers" of collecting in terms of the material culture of these tribal groups in Central Asia. Largely ignored, except for the ubiquitous chyrpys of the Tekke, the embroidery of the Turkmen reflects a long tradition of design, colour and format made BY women for themselves and their children. Rarely do the men of these groups wear anything that is embroidered by the women, save for the occasional hats worn by Uzbek men.
This embroidery consists of silk embroidery on a felt trade cloth ground. The overall pattern is somewhat mesmerizing, almost hypnotic. Originally folded as an "envelope" to form the pouch that would house a woman's personal valuables, this example has been opened and laid flat (& mounted) so that it can be viewed as a complete entitiy, as it was conceived in the mind's eye of the woman who made it. There is minor damage to the ground cloth, but it is in overall good condition. |
For further information on this piece, you may contact Thomas Cole
