Very Large Burmese Kalaga Embroidered Silk Wall-Hanging Tapestry.

Depicts two identical dancers cavorting in the center, surrounded by flying birds, with lion-like mythical beasts in their own squares all around them forming a border between the dancers and the delicately woven feather-like outermost band. A gorgeous lilac-hued thick border with a thinner stark black one around it completes the piece. The back is all white, with clear lines where the main embroidery was woven on. Comes with a gilt wood rod in the top and a black wood rod in the bottom. 

Size: 84 1/2 x 60 1/2 in. 

Kalaga is a heavily embroidered appliqué tapestry made of silk, flannel, felt, wool and lace against a background made of cotton or velvet indigenous to Burma (Myanmar). The word kalaga, which means “curtain,” comes from the Burmese language, although Burmese primarily refer to such tapestries as shwe gyi do (translated as “gold thread embroidery”). This artform emerged during the Konbaung Dynasty in the mid 19th Century and reached its zenith during the reign of Mindon Min, when velvet became fashionable at the royal court. In a typical tapestry, padded figures are cut from various types of cloth and sewn onto a background of usually red or black cloth to form an elaborate scene, traditionally from Burmese classical plays like the Ramayana and Jataka. The figures are sewn using a combination of metallic and plain threads and adorned with sequins, beads and glass stones. The style has proved extremely popular since the dawn of the 20th Century in Southeast Asia and the technique has spread to nearby countries, particularly India. 

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