 |
The Kingdom of Bhutan and its Magnificent Textiles
Bhutan, the remote Himalayan kingdom nestled between India, China and Tibet, perched atop the world's tallest and most sacred mountain range. Known as Druk Yul or "Land of the Thunder Dragon" to its people, Bhutan remains the most isolated, well-preserved and mysterious country on earth. Over centuries of seclusion, the proud Drukpas, or "Thunder Dragon People" have steadfastly defended their sovereignty and cultural integrity.
In Druk Yul, textiles are considered the highest form of art and spiritual expression. The knowledge and skills required to create these textiles have been passed down through matriarchal and Buddhist Lama lineages for countless generations. By utilizing primarily the simple backstrap loom, the Thunder Dragon People have crafted one of the most advanced and sophisticated weaving cultures in the history of civilization.
|
"Our handlooms have evolved over centuries and reflect the country's distinctive identity. Most of the designs and patterns of weave are unique to the country. Bhutanese weavers have been very innovative in their designs while maintaining the traditional character of the art."
|
|
|
|
-Her Majesty Ashi Sangay Choden Wangchuck, Queen of Bhutan
|
|
Tragically, a series of National Archive fires and a major earthquake in the late 19th century all but destroyed Bhutan's written history. Despite the loss of such significant records, the unique and magnificent textile art of Druk Yul has survived as an important cultural legacy. Compared to other textile producing cultures, however, few of these historical artifacts remain; a 19th century textile in relatively undamaged condition is now considered extremely rare.
Diana Myers, co-author of the 1995 publication From the Land of the Thunder Dragon: Textile Art of Bhutan featuring the Peabody Essex Museum's collection of Bhutanese textiles and masterpieces loaned from 22 sources around the world, aptly refers to the historic textiles of Bhutan as an "evolving art" and "national treasure." Indeed, as the most highly regarded tangible records of Bhutan's cultural heritage, these antique textiles deserve to be properly protected and cared for to maintain their legacy and ensure that the evolution of the art form will continue to flourish.
Bhutanese weaving continues to attract worldwide attention from scholars and collectors alike for the following reasons:
- Aesthetically speaking, Bhutanese designs represent the most intricate patterning of any textile art in the world.
- From a technical standpoint, the unique Timah brocade, supplementary-warp (kushü), and supplimentary-weft (hor) of Bhutanese weaving baffle experts, displaying methods believed to be impossible to create with a simple backstrap loom. These techniques are unique in the history of textile art.
- Functionally, Bhutanese textiles serve as a cultural repository which, having developed over the centuries, still plays a critical role in all religious, official and social events.
- Bhutanese textiles possess great spiritual significance. Buddhist scholars believe that symbols and design elements found on Bhutanese textiles represent glyphs manifesting ancient wisdom. To teachers and students of Buddhism, these fabrics represent a profound source of knowledge that will be deepened as the textiles are made available to scholars.
The textiles of Bhutan are truly world treasures,
and we feel greatly honored to be able to present them here.
|
|
