This man's surcoat is surely as striking and prestigious today as it was when it was made in the second half of the 19th century. It is easy to imagine, and marvel at, the kaleidoscope of colours and patterns delivered through silk ikat, velvet and embroidery in the oasis cities of Uzbekistan; yet the gentleman who wore this silk-embroidered coat marked himself out as a cut above the rest.
Man's surcoat (khalat), second half of the 19th century. Uzbekistan, Shakhrisyabz. Silk: embroidery, cross-stitch; overall: 150 × 218.4 cm (59 1/16 × 86 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Wade, 1916.1412
Ikat lining of a man's surcoat (khalat), second half of the 19th century. Uzbekistan, Shakhrisyabz. Silk: embroidery, cross-stitch; overall: 150 × 218.4 cm (59 1/16 × 86 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Wade, 1916.1412
These coats are rare, and are without doubt the most elaborate silk-embroidered clothing in Central Asia. The pattern would have been drawn on the cotton ground before the sections were taken apart and embroidered separately. This is apparent in some of the mismatched parts, which to my mind enhance the composition.
Made in the professional workshops of Shakhrisyabz, this coat would have been commissioned by a very wealthy individual, and its grandeur is matched by its fabulous cypress-tree lining. The motifs are partly recognisable from other cross-stitch embroideries, but appear in new renditions and, in the most expressive examples, in completely unique compositions. Another group focuses on repeated bands of design rather than the open composition seen here.
