Description
The ivory linen is mainly embroidered in cross-stitch with atlas red silk with some details in black and green, the dress skirt is worked with undulating columns of flowers, feathers, eight-pointed stars and with the distinct tall palm pattern.
The sleeves are embroidered with European design depicting a deer on top of a flowering plant pots.
Provenance: As told by the dealer who have sold lots 503 & 506, both dresses were originally bought during the Mandate of Syria & Lebanon and were part of the collection of one of the French High Commissioners of Syria & Lebanon, the estate was legally sold by the family and heirs who wishes to stay anonymous.
Condition:-
The overall dress is in a very good presenting condition, the dress has few minute holes with few stain marks.
Dimensions:
150 cm height.
135 cm the overall width when both sleeves (Irdan) are wide open.
References:-
For various Palestinian ornamentations used in the embroidery including the Moon (Qamar) of Ramallah design, please see pages 92-142 Appendix III in the following reference book.
The Art of Palestinian Embroidery by Leila El Khalidi, British Library, 1999, ISBN 0 86356 038 5 (PBK), Saqi Books, London UK.
For Almost an identical dress please see
Palestinian Costumes, by Shelagh Weir, Published For The Trustees Of The British Museum, By British Museum Publications, 1989, ISBN: 0-7141-1597-5. Please see similar lots catalogued on page 119.
For Similar Ramallah Thobe embroidery with the S motive please see the following
Embroidering Identities, A Century of Palestinian Clothing, By Iman Saca in Collaboration with Maha Saca, The Oriental Institute Museum of the University of Chicago, 2006, ISBN: 1-885923-49-X.
Lot catalogued on page 24.
For very similar thobe please see the exhibition of colours at the Museum of Quai Branly- Paris 2011.
Exposition (L’Orient Des Femmes)-II, Women from the East.
For another almost identical Ramallah white Dress and other Palestinian Embroideries please see the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York –USA.
Lot Accession No. 1976.301a-d