Painted cotton Pha nung textile panel

Thailand

18th–19th century

Cotton, pigments

Minneapolis Institute of Art

A long, rectangular textile panel features a central blue field with a repeating geometric pattern, bordered by horizontal bands of red, cream, and dark brown, all framed by narrow vertical stripes with repeating circular motifs. Indian textiles have long been a sought-after global commodity, valued for the suppleness of the cotton weave and the advanced dying techniques which yielded rich, color fast (fade resistant) textiles in a range of designs. This textile was specifically designed for the Thai market, whose court—according to British East India Company records—had been supplying Indian weavers and dyers with pattern books since at least 1662. Here, the elaborate end borders features three rows of the iconic Thai ‘flame’ motif, frequently seen in Buddhist statuary from the region. An end border (trumpal) with three registers indicates male use, while t