Phulkari in Philadelphia

April 19, 2017

Embroidered Textiles of Punjab from the Jill and Sheldon Bonovitz Collection Museum of Art in Philadelphia

10 images

Tota Bagh Phulkari, 20th century. Artist/maker unknown, Punjabi. Handspun cotton plain weave (khaddar) with silk and cotton embroidery in darning, buttonhole, and chain stitches, 7 feet 8 3/4 inches × 56 inches (235.6 × 142.2 cm). The Jill and Sheldon Bonovitz Phulkari Collection.

Sainchi Phulkari/Nilak Phulkari, 20th century. Artist/maker unknown, Punjabi. Handspun cotton plain weave (khaddar) with silk and cotton embroidery in darning, running, chain, and buttonhole stitches, glass mirrors, 7 feet 5 inches × 53 inches (226.1 × 134.6 cm). The Jill and Sheldon Bonovitz

Darshan Dwar Phulkari, 20th century. Artist/maker unknown, Punjabi. Handspun, handwoven cotton plain weave (khaddar) with silk and cotton embroidery in darning, pattern darning, buttonhole, herringbone, running and Cretan stitches, 7 feet 5 inches × 50 inches (226.1 × 127 cm). The Jill and Sheldon Bonovitz Phulkari Collection.

Sainchi Phulkari, 20th century. Artist/maker unknown, Punjabi. Handspun cotton plain weave (khaddar) with silk, cotton, and wool embroidery in darning, pattern darning, buttonhole, herringbone, running, chain and Cretan stitches, 7 feet 5 1/2 inches × 48 1/2 inches (227.3 × 123.2 cm). The Jill and Sheldon Bonovitz Phulkari Collection.

Bagh Phulkari, 20th century. Artist/maker unknown, Punjabi. Handspun cotton plain weave (khaddar) with silk embroidery in darning, pattern darning, running, chain and cross stitches, 8 feet 3 3/4 inches × 59 1/2 inches (253.4 × 151.1 cm). The Jill and Sheldon Bonovitz Phulkari Collection.

Phulkari, Early 20th century. Artist/maker unknown, Punjabi. Handspun cotton plain weave (khaddar) with silk and cotton embroidery in darning, running, herringbone, and double running stitches, 8 feet 6 1/2 inches × 47 1/2 inches (260.4 × 120.7 cm). The Jill and Sheldon Bonovitz Phulkari Collection.

Phulkari, 20th century. Artist/maker unknown, Punjabi. Handspun cotton plain weave (khaddar) with silk embroidery in running, darning, pattern darning, herringbone, split, stem and cross stitches, 9 feet 5 inches × 58 inches (287 × 147.3 cm). The Jill and Sheldon Bonovitz Phulkari Collection.

A gallery view showing how phulkari were worn

Phulkaris made by women in the Punjab are one of the most visible textile traditions of the Indian Subcontinent but have been little studied or received the focused and systematic study that many of the other folk craft traditions associated with pre- and post-partition India. Now, thanks to the promised gift of nineteen phulkaris from the Jill and Sheldon Bonovitz Collection to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, this tradition is receiving similar attention as the other embroidery tradition associated with the region; kanthas. The latter featured in an exhibition and publication in 2009 by the same museum, when an earlier donation of thirty-three kanthas by the same donors were exhibited along with those from the Stella Kramrisch Collection already in the museum’s collection. ‘Phulkari: The Embroidered Textiles of Punjab from the Jill and Sheldon Bonowitz Collection’, is on view at the Philadelphia Museum of Art until 9 July 2017. The museum website also has an interesting guided tour of the exhibition installation with the curator Darielle Mason. To view the video click here