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Suzani Bokhara. Photo courtesy of Ross Langlands.
Considered to be among the greatest of textiles, mystery nevertheless surrounds the origins of the exquisite Central Asian needlework known as suzani. These floral embroideries are traditionally created by the women of a bride’s family as dowry pieces in Uzbekistan. The bride-to-be would
have also completed ‘a suite’ of embroideries which would serve primarily in ceremonial roles in her marriage. However, households would use suzani as bedcovers or for furniture and curtains to annex sleeping quarters from the living room.
Although there is much conjecture about the origin of the embroideries, the inspiration for design clearly came from nature particularly from plants and flowers. There are several stitches employed in the making of the embroideries such as Bokhara couching, chain stitch and double buttonhole stitch. The most important centres of production were towns within an approximate 300 km radius of the city of Samarkand, Uzbekistan. Ross Langlands will discuss the regional variations and main centres of suzani production.
ROSS LANGLANDS
Ross and Irene Langlands started their Sydney business in antique oriental rugs and textiles in 1975.Prior to that, Ross worked in the early 1970s in the European wholesale market at the Zurich free port. They have travelled extensively in most traditional weaving countries and throughout
Southeast Asia. His interests are broad and driven by an overriding interest in traditional cultures and the tribal aesthetic. They are inaugural members of both the TAASA and the ORS, honorary associates of the Powerhouse Museum and Governors of the AGNSW. Ross is a Past President of the ORS.
