Imitation patola shoulder cloth (selendang)
Not on view
When the Dutch East India Company (VOC) largely commandeered the India-Southeast Asian textile trade in the course of the 17th century, they quickly learnt that Indian silk patola textiles were much prized by the local rulers with whom they were engaged in the spice trade. Over the course of the 17th century, it was likely the VOC who initiated the production of less expensive versions of patolas, block-printed on cotton as seen here, rather than tie-dyed in silk. This is one of the finest examples known. It carries a VOC stamp on the reverse, printed from a Company chop in black ink, along with three other chops, each an encircled initial.
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