Most palampores have a characteristic, large ‘tree of life’ motif in the centre, which is surrounded by stylised flowers and leaves, as well as animals and birds. The majority of palampores are hand painted and/or block printed. Occasionally, however, embroidered palampores were made.
One such example is in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London (acc. no. S.29-1889). It is 256 x 224 cm in size. This palampore dates to the early eighteenth century and comes from Gujarat in western India. It has an off-white, cotton ground that is embroidered in chain stitch with multi-coloured silk thread.
See also the entry on another palampore, now in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
V&A online catalogue (retrieved 21 June 2016).
GVE