Bindalli Wedding Dress
The bindalli dress was worn by both Muslim and Jewish women of different economic classes in the Balkans and Anatolia for weddings and other special occasions, beginning in the second half of the nineteenth century. The name, bindalli (bindallı in Turkish), means thousand branches and refers to the elaborate embroidered decoration carried out using a style called dival, characterized by the use of metal-wrapped threads and couching. Both the fabric used here, a wine-colored cotton velvet, and the shape of the dress, with its round neck, front opening, dropped shoulders and straight sleeves, are typical of this very popular genre of woman’s dress. Beautifully executed gold embroidery covers the body of the dress in an all over design of garlands, large flowers and other motifs. A scalloped design marks the neck and front opening. Additional designs ornament the sleeves and a floral garland encircles the hem of the dress. The sleeve edges and front opening are decorated with lace.
Artwork Details
- Title: Bindalli Wedding Dress
- Date: mid-19th–early 20th century
- Geography: From Turkey
- Medium: Cotton, metal wrapped thread; embroidered
- Dimensions: Length at CB: 52 in. (132.1 cm)
- Classification: Main dress-Womenswear
- Credit Line: Gift of Luise Kaish, 1993
- Object Number: 1993.420.1
- Curatorial Department: Islamic Art
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'Abd al-Qadir Hisari
dated 1180 AH/1766–67 CE
dated 1268 AH/1851–52 CE
ca. 1555–60
Multiple artists/makers
ca. 1595
early 17th century
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