Kantha (Ceremonial Quilt)

Cleveland Museum of Art

The Kantha ceremonial quilt by Indian artist Rabindra Tagore features a large rectangular fabric with a cream-colored background. The quilt has a thick border around the edges with intricate designs in shades of red, blue, yellow, and brown. The central area of the quilt showcases a dense arrangement of floral patterns, leaves, flowers, and teardrop shapes in various colors. Interspersed among the floral patterns are depictions of animals, including elephants and birds. The quilt's design is symmetrical, with similar patterns and motifs mirrored on either side of the central axis. The colors used are predominantly earthy tones, with shades of red, blue, yellow, and brown. The quilt appears to be made from fabric with visible stitching throughout.