The Best Exotic Azeri Shaddah Weaving
(Title inspired by the Hollywood film Best Exotic Marigold Hotel) So after rummaging through the internet for Shaddahs or Shaddas, I have come to appreciate mine even more than ever. … Continue reading
Rangoli – Featuring my Aunts
Here’s a link to lovely film on Rangoli – the folk art of powder painting that was practiced across the length & breadth of India by all housewives. ALL. Video … Continue reading
Museum Walk – African Masks & More
A Photo essay on the amazing African collection of the De Young museum, San Francisco. There are about 150 photos so get your cup of coffee and enjoy this virtual … Continue reading
Desert Art – Motifs of the Bishnoi People
How can one not love this art? In my few trips to Rajasthan I’ve not had the good fortune of seeing these in-situ .. being worn by the Bishnoi women. … Continue reading
All Creatures Great & Small
The writings of explorer-authors form a bridge between our urban world and the world of nomads and other rural communities who live by different life models. Reading about those … Continue reading
The Girl with the Dragon
Can you spot her? . . . . . Isn’t she lovely? See more of this gorgeous not-for-sale antique dragon sumac rug here on WOVENSOULS – asset 1379. *** jm … Continue reading
The Art of Marble Jalis
Seen at the magnificent Mumbai Airport Museum. Cannot get enough of this airport! jm April 2019
Hybrid Art – 3 -Manuscript Paintings
A few weeks ago the surprise of hybrid paintings had already stung me when I saw a Hindu manuscript with illuminated paintings scripted in Gurmukhi. (Link to Gallery Store) My … Continue reading
Krishna’s Raas Lila in Silk Embroidery
Art Fix for the Day – Two Rumals with double-sided embroidery!
Boundless Creativity in Motifs
Superb embroidered motifs from the North West Frontier Province region photographed from faded fragments of dress-fronts! Enjoy the feast: What thought-paths created these very aesthetically pleasing unique motifs that have … Continue reading
Rare Swat Wedding Shawl with ‘Self’ Embroidery
Just when I’d thought I’d seen the complete range of the niche textile art from Swat Valley, along comes a piece that challenges that belief and nudges me out of my smug stupor. – Exploring a Rare Swat Valley Artwork
Veneration of Human Spirit – Jain Painting
Heroic act spellbind us. And spur us on to do more, to push ourselves a little bit more and to give life the very best of ourselves. In Bombay, there … Continue reading
Service or Sacrilege? The Dilemma of Textile Art Fragments
Have you seen these? Amazing creativity isn’t it?!! ❤️ The ones that I have are in good but not in perfect condition – usage, withering natural life of the fibre … Continue reading
Artwork of the Day
A Peacock takes a little ram for a walk! What an endearing example of folk creativity! Seen in this most-beloved AntiqueQashqai Shekarlu rug that I cannot get enough of! More … Continue reading
Waiting…. The Antique Shekarlu Qashqai Rug
For years I’ve eyed Shekarlu rugs. Their identity is highly evolved and very striking! Very rustic in character the rugs are filled with an extravagant number of minor motif elements … Continue reading
Rare Antique Company School Mica Paintings
In the early-mid 1800s Mica paintings were produced as souvenirs in Murshidabad, Patna and Benares in eastern India and Trichinopoly in South India. They imitated paintings on glass. Mica, a transparent … Continue reading
External Article: Italy’s last Sea Silk Master (on BBC)
Byssus, or sea silk, is one of the rarest and most coveted materials in the world – and this is the last person on Earth who still knows how to … Continue reading
Artwork of the Day
Amazing Ethnic Art worn by a very small minority group in Guizhou China. Asset 228 on WOVENSOULS.COM Enjoy the Visual Feast!
Wealth of Ladakh
Photos of photo prints of women wearing traditional jewelry at festivals. The magnificentv Petak headdress has been discussed earlier. But the others have not received enough attention! Here are sone … Continue reading
Painting Seen on a Wall in Nomadic Chanthang
Contemporary Art is one area that Dies not appeal to me. But this painting seen on a wall spike to me enough to want to cluck it and shate ut … Continue reading
Mountain Art – Large Ancient Himalayan Buddhas – 1
Huge Ancient Buddhist Sculptures in the Himalayas
A Visit to Phyang Monastery
Sat still within the ancient halls with only a young monk in attendance. Time passed unmarked by minutes and seconds. What do these matter when the walls have seen centuries! … Continue reading
Artwork of the Day: Mirrors of Identity
A pair of Chaakla Decorative Textiles from Gujarat with rare golden mirrors Asset 152 on WOVENSOULS.COM
Material Pleasures
When I was young I desired a million things but had no money to buy them with. Now when I am old, I have more money but very few things … Continue reading
Sentinels & Thresholds
The threshold is a very important line in a traditional Indian home. It is washed and decorated beautifully every day with auspicious symbols drawn in powder by the woman of … Continue reading
Silken flowers from Gujarat India
One more fabulous piece from Gujarat! At first I thought it was a print … until I read the explanatory note! ❤️ This textile is from the V & A … Continue reading
A Kalamkari Coverlet – Antique Indian Textiles
A visit to any museum can be exhausting and the maximum I can handle is about 1 – 2 hours of exposure. In any given hall there are always too … Continue reading
The Bridal Sari of the erstwhile Queen of Sawantwadi 1922
I’ve seen a dozen or so amazing antique zari saris but none has been as unusual as this one seen in the museum of Sawantwadi, This shalu – a zari … Continue reading
On My Coffee Table
The advantage of my nomadic life is that I forget tbe pieces strewn around the other spaces that I dwell in (and that dwell inside me….). and so I see … Continue reading
Connecting the Dots of Gold
In the past, gold jewelry with motifs created by arranging tiny granules of gold was popular in some parts of India. Ancient Greeks used the granulation process too but the … Continue reading
Art Revived
Some vanishing arts have been strengthened and resurrected by external change agents. Soof Embroidery of Gujarat is one such art that had the blessing of nurturing by people who devote … Continue reading
Walking the Dog
And the bird in the cage. Scene in a double sided embroidery from the early 1900s. But could well have been a snapshot from modern day Singapore! More photos of … Continue reading
Custodians of Antique Art
“We are only the ‘temporary’ custodians of these antique artworks that lived before us and will live on much after we are gone.” A nice quote to remind myself of … Continue reading
Women in Art – Literally
A series of textiles with women depicted in the art! 🙂 And more The ones above are from old textiles. Here’s one from a recently made banarasi brocade … Continue reading
Daily Art Fix -Sindh Dowry Embroidery
Bless the woman who made this!! A great way to start my day …. with a dose of beauty – gives the heart a small positive kickstart! Sept 2017
Tales the Phra Malai Thai Manuscripts tell!
It will be years before I will be able to understand all the stories contained in the few Phra Malai manuscripts that I’ve seen! Some are stories from the life … Continue reading
Who doesn’t enjoy Music in the Park!
MUSIC IN THE PARK – Notes in Silk!!! Just received this beauty made in Canton a century ago! Am yet to count the number of instruments being played in this … Continue reading
Courtship in Silk
Daily Art Fix – motif on an amazing wearable antique cantonese shawl! ❤️
Beaded Textiles from Rajasthan?!!
Just noticed the fabulous beadwork on a shawl from Rajasthan that I’ve had for awhile. Endless delights in old acquisitions… All from the WOVENSOULS collection! ❤️
Happy Sunday from a Majampahit Prince & Princess
This beautiful Majampahit Prince & his Princess wish us all a royal Sunday – May we all have a wealthy Sunday with our hearts full and our minds free! And … Continue reading
Jai Ho Lord Jagannath
A Puri Jatri Patti artwork to celebrate the Lord Jagannath Yatra festival that is happenninf now in Puri, Odisha Jai Ho! June 2017
Antique Cheriyal Painted Scroll – Art for Oral Traditions
In South Indian Paintings – A catalogue of the British Museum collection, A. L. Dallaiccola notes “Although in the past the majority of Indian people might have been illiterate, they … Continue reading
Choosing A Wedding Dress – Swat Valley Textiles
Choosing is wedding dress can be tough – especially when each is a stunning work of textile art. Presenting a few vintage and antique bridal dresses from the Swat Valley region
Perspective makes all the Difference
Looking at things from the OTHER side makes alllll the difference!!
Daily Art Fix – Pathan Embroidery
A Pathan tablecloth with motifs that are seen even in the forehead-tattoos of Pathani women. ❤️ jm Sept 2016
Daily Art Fix – Beauty begets Beauty
Old Rabari Great-grandmother working on her embroidery. Photo taken in 2012 in Gujarat. jm May 2016
Talk Announcement: Textile Museum, Washington D.C.
TITLE: Wedding Embroideries of Kutch, India Speaker: Jaina Mishra | Collector … The George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum Washington D.C. Saturday June 4th, 2016 … …. … Continue reading
Daily Art Fix – A Sublime Tampan with an Amazing Soul!
Such an amazing work of art!!! Not painted – not embroidered but WOVEN!! More from the same fragment: And though it is past its prime, it still is … Continue reading
Welcome to The Art Blog
“The purpose of art is washing off the dust of daily life off our souls” – Pablo Picasso
Presenting my notes on the diverse folk arts of Asia and the stimulating cultural stories contained within them
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~ Jaina Mishra
INVITATION – Antique Indian Textile Art @ The Esplanade Theatres on the Bay, Singapore
BAZAR: SAT & SUN 21st, 22nd, 28th, 29th November 4pm-8pm A mini-exhibition will showcase some textile masterpieces from the past. Some pieces from the wovensouls collection will also be available … Continue reading
Mochi or Cobbler Embroidery of Gujarat
Anyone who knows Gujarati or Hindi knows that Mochi means a cobbler. So when I first heard my dealer say that a category of very fine embroidery is known as … Continue reading
For Interior Decor Specialists & Art Consultants
Funded by passion we work in the niche area of collecting & curating the art and the beauty of the Vanishing Cultures of Asia. Their timeless beauty has the potential … Continue reading
NEWS: A Prestigious Textile Artwork Installation ….
So excited to be working on this! Projects like these will put these wonderful traditional textiles in the spotlight and perhaps make a small difference in delaying the extinction of … Continue reading
DAILY ART FIX – AN ARTWORK A DAY
An addict constantly needs a fix to keep him stable. Me – in moments of extreme stress I find solace & peace in viewing works of traditional art. In normal … Continue reading
Daily Art Fix – Kinnaur Weaving
Click to view more images of this recently woven shawl from Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh, India. Daily Art Fix – Kinnaur Weaving July 2015 textile art, himachal weaving, himachal textile, India … Continue reading
Karakalpak Motifs – Art in Geometry
Sometimes it is enough to just enjoy the visual without knowing the meaning… View the complete piece and other images here on wovensouls,com … Continue reading
Daily Art Fix – Colors of Anatolia
I have been dreaming about the border of this fragment of 2 halves of this 19th century kilim ever since I laid eyes on it! So much … Continue reading
Daily Art Fix – Antique Chinese Embroidery
Antique Chinese Embroidery Cap Panel – roughly 7 inches tall. Click to view more images. jm June 2015 Daily Art Fix – Antique Chinese Embroidery
One Textile – Many Motifs
As I obsess over this gorgeous Kilim I am noticing more & more of its virtues that make me love it even more. Here I’m sharing some of the pictures … Continue reading
Across the Universe – A Bridge to the Other World
Each of us has wondered at some time or another about what happens when we die. Too many questions that have no answers. And then along come the religious bosses … Continue reading
Anarchy & Chaos in a Tribal Textile!
Most traditional textiles seem to follow the patterns that are unique to their tribe. These patterns probably began with some seed of an idea and then evolved over generations to … Continue reading
DAILY ART FIX – Gujarat Embroidery
RUSTIC TRIBAL EMBROIDERY WITH GORGEOUS NATURAL COLORS ON COARSE HAND SPUN COTTON! JM. .
DAILY ART FIX – Gujarat Textile Art
Vintage “Chakla / Chaakda” Wall artwork in the form of cotton embroidery. From Gujarat, India. [VTI-719 on the wovensouls website. ] jm Jan 2015
Umaid Bhavan Palace Museum – Paintings
Paintings are all two-dimensional and we view them in the plane that is perpendicular to the plane in which both our eyes lie. So if a painting is mounted on … Continue reading
Wovensouls ‘Vanishing Cultures’ Exhibition Highlights | Rare Awadh Shield
A very rare shield. March 7, 8, 9 | 10am – 7pm The Arts House, (Old Parliament) | Singapore. MORE DETAILS : ‘VANISHING CULTURES’ – An Exhibition of Cultural Photographs … Continue reading
Intriguing Balinese Calendars – Palindon & Palelintangan
In a world with so many different cultures with divergent ideologies and beliefs, naturally there are as many ways to mark the passage of time and predict fortunes. I studied … Continue reading
Antique Colonial-Era Saris
Two rare & unique saris from a bygone era. Rare because of their age. Unique because of the unique English motifs woven into the borders of the sari – woven … Continue reading
Antique Dragon Textile from Laos
Finely woven Dragon textile from Laos. From the ‘South East Asia’ Textiles gallery of the Wovensouls Collection circa 1930 jm Oct 2013
Wovensouls makes its first sale to a Museum!
Time for celebration! Wovensouls has just made its first sale to a museum. That the buyer is a renowned museum with one of the best cultural collections in the world … Continue reading
Wovensouls Website relaunched
The structure and layout of the wovensouls website has been changed to make the flow smoother. Recent acquisitions of antique textiles, antique jewelry and antique folk art, some of these … Continue reading
Textile Artwork Curated for Esplanade Theatre, Singapore
Esplanade Theatre, Singapore has commissioned Jaina Mishra to curate a a series of Tribal Textile Artworks. These will be on display from Nov 23 – Dec 2, 2012 on the … Continue reading
Christian Paintings from the Past
Old. Beautiful. Full of stories. Full of devotion. Antique Church Paintings. Many of these are on wood board. Others may be on canvas. Some hang high up on walls and … Continue reading
Pattachitra Art of Assam
Pattachitra is similar to ‘storyboards’ or stories told along with pictures. The tales depicted are usually derived from epics such as Bhagawat and Ramayana. In ancient India, this art was … Continue reading
