This is a spectacular and highly unusual chapan with an outer fabric of metallic brocade and a lining in a bold red ikat of circular design. Only the wealthiest in 19th century Bukhara could have afforded such a robe. It would have been worn by a high court official, a member of the Emir’s circle, a religious scholar or a well-established merchant.
The brocade in a metallic fabric on a purple/ violet ground would not have been made in Bukhara. It almost certainly came from India demonstrating an extensive trade through Afghanistan to India in the south. The pink/magenta palmettes on the ikat lining were more common in woman’s robes. The collar and front opening are highlighted by a woven trim with a geometric pattern in green, white, red, and turquoise. The lining in ikat with red circular forms was coated in egg white and then beaten down to give it a sheen. Made in probably the late 18th century, the robe reflects the cosmopolitan and elite Bukhara culture and is a testament to its position as a major city on the Silk road where luxury goods from across Asia converged.