Antique Hand Embroidered Tree of Life Silk Wallhanging with Birds & Flowers: C19th Anglo Indian

Item Details.
This has to be one of my all time favourite buys EVER!

Hand embroidered on black silk satin with birds, flowers and leaves worked in floss silk and gilt wrapped thread. Probably Anglo Indian we think this was embroidered in India for the European market in the mid to late 19th century.

The embroidery is of a magnificent Tree of Life, decorativly covered with birds, all with their own delightful expressions, some are just brilliant! All the birds are exotic and fanciful (and fun). They are all carefully hand embroidered with extraordinary detailing and are slightly padded, creating a three dimensional effect.

The embroidery on the Tree of Life’s trunk has an obvious chinoiserie or oriental influence which confused us at first until we recognised that the people embroidering this hanging, or the designer was probably influenced by what was popular in Europe at the time.

The hanging was designed as a bedcover originally but is now too old and fragile for this purpose. It would benefit by being backed to support the embroidery, and could then be hung on a wall to enjoy. We can back and prepare the hanging ready for hanging at our dedicated textile conservation studio. Please ask us for details.

Measurements:
Central Embroidery 49 x 92 inches
Whole panel. 65 x 104 inches

Condition: In good antique condition. Some splits in the surrounding border, but we feel this could be removed to make a more pleasing sized panel to hang on a wall.