Patolu with Elephant Design

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

A patolu is a silk textile with a design produced by a skillful, time-consuming process of pre-dyeing the patterns into both the warp and the weft threads so that the intended composition is revealed only after the two are woven together. This majestic textile depicts a royal parade with two pairs of elephants, each carrying attendants holding fly whisks, drivers, and crowned dignitaries. Standard-bearers, soldiers with lances, and soldiers on horses and camels accompany the procession. Patola played an important role in the Dutch effort to secure trading privileges in the Maluku spice trade, as these precious Indian-made silks were used as prestige gifts for local Indonesian rulers. cat. no. 42

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.

Metropolitan Museum of Art