POPPY

Blockprint with handprinted details- The flower is 9 cm high. Fabric width 145 cm.

Statens Historiska Museum, Stockholm SHM 24030:F.

The original fabric is a lining of an altar frontal, originally in Arboga city church, Västmanland, Sweden. A handspun medium fine cotton tabby was block printed in black, red, dark pink and violet, after that green and yellow was pencilled by hand. The print origins from India and is dated to early 17th century. It was imported to Sweden and donated to the church, who made an altar frontal of red brocaded satin lined with two cotton prints. The Indian cotton prints were highly appreciated and greatly valued in 17th century Europe. They were used both for clothing and furnishing and were the prototype for the evolution of local cotton printing in the 18th century