1860 / 1864, Myanmar

1860 / 1864, Myanmar

Identifier
5623(IS)
Collection
Material
Technique
Depiction
Dimension
70 cm (length)
50 cm (length)
37 cm (width)
Production time
Production place

Description

Burmese woman's white cotton ein-gyi. Konbaung Dynasty (1752-1885). Quilted with wavy patterns in yellow silk. This neatly tailored white cotton jacket, flaring gently over the hips with its distinctive triangular headed pendants, would have been worn by a fashionable Burmese woman during the second half of the nineteenth century. It was obtained in 1867 from Prome, a town in central Burma lying on the Irrawaddy River, which had recently fallen under British control. Britain annexed Burma stage by stage through the 19th century until in 1885 the entire kingdom came under British rule. Known as an ein-gyi this jacket is embroidered and quilted in yellow silk with wave and twisted rope patterns typical of Burmese design. It would have formed an ensemble, as shown, with a wrap skirt (9756 IS) and breast cloth (IM.10-1909). Short, white, drawn in at the waist and flaring over the hips, with long tight sleeves; it is open in front, and the bands down either side terminate in triangular-headed pendants. The pattern mainly consists of rows of wavy bands interspersed with conventional floral and foliate devices.