Title
Painted fabric template
Year/Period
early 20th century
Region
Penang
Material
Dimension
Object size: 18.0 x 38.0 cm
Accession No.
2017-00426
Collection of
Fabric templates were used to guide the embroiderer. Drawn in a lively manner, each bird is surrounded by a dense square of ferns and flowers. These creatures are fantastical inventions, with peacock feathers for tails and bodies that are painted blue, green and yellow.As pre-prepared template patterns were typically repetitive and conventional, this example stands out for the variety of animated postures and flora depicted. Pre-prepared patterns could be purchased and were popular because they could be used with beads, silk floss or a combination of different materials.
