Laos

Cup

Laos. 1970s.

Chased silver.

Height 12.8 cm, diameter 12 cm. lnv. No. 5404 II

Received in 1976 as a gift from the Laotian government.

The cup is made by chasing a solid bar of silver into shape and then covering the surface with a chased ornament. The shape of this article is a common one and can also be found in wickerwork, ceramics and lacquer wares. The delicate plant pattern perfectly corresponds to the shape of the vessel.

Fabrics

Fabrics

Laos. 20th century

Hand-woven cotton and silk, dyed by the matmi method.

76 × 324 cm. Inv. No. 6945 II

Received in 1984 as a gift from the Laotian government. 76x90 cm. Inv. No.6311 II Received in 1980 as a gift from the Laotian government. First publication.

Textiles form the largest and most valuable part of the Laotian section at the Museum. These fabrics for women's skirts are made by a complicated method, traditional throughout South-East Asia, which is called matmi in Laos. In this technique the weft is dyed by a negative dyeing method so that at the loom it produces the intended pattern. This is usually polychrome and geometric, with characteristically blurred outlines. Traditional Laotian textiles are extremely decorative and varied in their ornamentation.