Carriage Cushion Cover (Flowers, Birds and People)

Location: Sweden, Scania, Torna district

Materials: dove-tail tapestry

Dimensions: 50 x 94 cm

Accession Number: SW 16

Other Notes:

This carriage cushion is full of motifs typical of dove-tail tapestries from Torna. Carnations, tulips and other flowers, together with birds and people, surround a flower vase. The motifs are enlivened by the use of fine shadows and tiny details. The naturalistic depiction, particularly in the human figures, suggests the 18th century, as does the unusually large numbers of colours used, seventeen in total.

Bibliography:

V. Hansen, Swedish Textile Art: Traditional Marriage Weavings from Scania: The Khalili Collection, London 1996, cat. 10, pp.42–5.