Suzani
As suzani refers to large-sized, decorated with silk or wool embroidery cotton fabrics from the Central Asia, mainly from Uzbekistan ( Bukhara Suzanis or Suzanis from Nurota ) and Turkestan . Occasionally ikat fabrics were used as an embroidery base.
The name comes from Persian سوزن Suzan , which means something like needle. The production is in Iran asسوزنکاری Suzankāri called needlework.
The large-format embroideries traditionally serve as wall hangings to decorate the living spaces in the houses and yurts of the nomads . Depending on the region, however, the inhabitants of Uzbekistan also make smaller embroidery and clothing in this way. A suzani is traditionally part of the dowry and is either made on the occasion of the upcoming wedding or one that is already in the family is inherited by the bride.
The brightly colored and embroidered fabrics, often also with floral patterns, reflect the reality and philosophy of life of these nomadic peoples in heavily ornamented language. Indigo from India was used for blue colors ; carmine imported from Russia for red colors . Pomegranate peels were used for black . Towards the end of the 19th century, imported cotton fabrics increasingly prevailed, and with them aniline dyes , which led to a more garish appearance of the goods. Today suzanis are made both by hand and by machine.
A suzani is elaborately handcrafted and the more splendid, the more effective its significance as a prestige object of its owner. Old suzanis, in particular, are now highly-priced collectibles in both Europe and the United States.
literature
- Hermann Forkl, Johannes Kalter, Thomas Leisten, Margareta Pavaloi (editors), The Gardens of Islam, edition hansjörg mayer, Stuttgart, London in collaboration with the Lindenmuseum Stuttgart, 1993
- Jakob Taube, Suzani embroidery from Central Asia, small contributions from the Museum für Völkerkunde Dresden, issue 12, Dresden 1991
Individual evidence
- ↑ Forkl, Cold, moldings, Pavaloi The gardens of Islam , p 136
