Kalaga

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Kalagas ( Burmese က န့ ် လ န့ ် ကာ ) are artfully embroidered tapestries from Myanmar (Burma), traditionally made of silk , flannel, wool, felt and lace on a background of cotton and velvet . Today synthetic fibers are also used for Kalagas .

Tapestry from the workshop of U Sein Myint

The word "kalaga" comes from Burmese and means something like curtain. The Burmese themselves call such tapestries "shwe gyi do" (ရွှေ ချည် ထိုး; literally: "gold thread embroidery"), similar to the sewing technique used, which is called "shwe gyi" (ရွှေ ချည်).

The art form, which emerged in the mid-19th century in the Konbaung dynasty , reached its peak during the reign of Mindon Min , when velvet was a popular fabric in the royal court.

The motifs of the Kalagas are mostly scenes from classical Burmese theater, for example the Hindu Ramayana and the Buddhist Jātakas . The lined figures stand out clearly against the mostly red or black background on which they are sewn together from the various fabrics. The figures themselves are sewn with a combination of metallic and simple thread and decorated with sequins , pearls and glass stones.

Individual evidence

  1. a b T. N. Mukharji: Art-manufactures of India . Superintendent of Government Printing, India, 1888, pp. 387-388.
  2. ^ Journal of Burma Studies - Volume 16.1 . In: Northern Illinois University . Retrieved October 6, 2013.
  3. ^ Sylvia Fraser-Lu: Burmese Crafts: Past and Present . Oxford University Press, 1994, ISBN 9780195886085 , p. 265.
  4. ^ John Falconer, Luca Invernizzi: Burmese Design and Architecture . Tuttle Publishing, 2000, ISBN 9789625938820 , pp. 194-195.
  5. a b More information about Burmese Kalagas . In: SiamTraders.com . Retrieved October 6, 2013. 
  6. ^ Catherine Amoroso Leslie: Needlework Through History . Greenwood Publishing Group, 2007, ISBN 9780313335488 , p. 121.