Aikapur Kira Bhutan Textile

Woven Kira in the Aikapur Style

dimensions: 131cm x 203cm

The kira is the national dress of Bhutan. Comprising a large, rectangular piece of woven cloth, it is worn by women as an over-garment and is tied and folded in a specific way.

The example here is composed of a hand-spun wild silk yarn with natural dyes which include red, yellow, green and blue hues.

It has been woven with bands of sun ray (

zerpa) and eternal knot motifs (Myers & Bean, 1994, p. 65).

Kiras are relatively rare. Bhutan has only a small population and few were produced in the first place. The example here dates to the early twentieth century.

A similar example is illustrated in Bartholomew (1985, p.35).

The example here has areas of fraying and some discolouration due to age and use. There are no repairs, no significant holes and no evidence of insect damage.

Bartholomew, M., Thunder Dragon Textiles from Bhutan: The Bartholomew Collection, Shikosha, 1985.

Myers, D., and S. Bean (eds),

From the Land of the Thunder Dragon: Textile Arts of Bhutan, Serindia, 1994.

UK art market