2-734-643 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

Man's surcoat, late 1800s. Prestigious men’s surcoats embellished with designs such as this dramatic decoration in cross-stitch were among the most elaborate silk-thread embroidered garments in Central Asia. In a flamboyant style, large palmettes framed by split-palmette leaves dominate with quartered rosettes and smaller flora on a brilliant yellow ground. Foliate vines enhance the edge along the front center opening, hemline, and cuffs. It is lined with an ikat of cypress trees and finger-looped trim. The style and technique represent professional work from Shahr-i Sabz, south of Samarkand. The pattern was drawn on the cotton ground cloth of the surcoat, then disassembled for stitching, and finally reassembled-revealed by severed and misaligned motifs plus mismatched colours.