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39-477: The objective of setting up the museum is to promote Bhutan's achievements in the field of textile arts and to sustain and promote interest of the weavers to continue the traditional textile patterns. The museum also envisions to become the centre for textile studies and research. The purpose is also to promote the history and culture of Bhutan. The significance of Bhutan's textiles is attributed to many factors such as: its intricate patterns in textile art (unique in

78-549: A conflict between the Dzongpens of Punakha and Thimphu , sacking both sides and seizing Simtokha Dzong . From this time forward, the office of Desi became purely ceremonial. The 12th Trongsa Penlop, Ugyen Wangchuck , firmly in power and advised by Kazi Ugyen Dorji , accompanied the British expedition to Tibet as an invaluable intermediary, earning his first British knighthood. Penlop Ugyen Wangchuck further garnered knighthood in

117-440: A rich and complex repository of a unique art form. They are recognised for their abundance of colour, sophistication and variation of patterns, and the intricate dyeing and weaving techniques. The weavers, who are mostly women, must not be seen merely as creators of wealth but also as the innovators and owners of artistic skills developed and nurtured over centuries of time. The history of Bhutanese textiles becomes more evident in

156-825: A stipend, and took control of Bhutanese foreign relations . After his coronation, Uygen further merited the British Delhi Durbar Gold Medal in 1911; the Knight Commander of the Order of the Star of India ( KCSI ) in 1911; and the Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire ( GCIE ) in 1921. King Ugyen Wangchuck died in 1926. The reign of the Second King Jigme Wangchuck (1926–1952)

195-419: A textile festival which will be celebrated during the competition. To sustain the interest of the weavers, sellers and artists, an auction process through bidding for the textiles "under consideration" has been introduced. In this process, the base price for the item on sale is fixed by the weaver and any bid amount received over and above the weaver's base price enriches the coffers of the museum. This procedure

234-567: Is adopted to ensure quality products of textiles to be woven by the weavers displaying intricate and appealing designs. The museum has also engaged two permanent weavers – one for pangtha (spinning) and another for thuetha (colouring) – to display the process of weaving. A small group of loom weavers at the museum produce work deriving from Lhuentse Dzongkhag, the ancestral home of the Bhutanese Royal Family in northeastern Bhutan. Textiles of Bhutan Bhutanese textiles represent

273-475: Is one indicator of the superiority of the textile. The textile is even more priced when the weaver includes weft pattern designs. Weft patterns are popularly referred to as Sapma continuous weft patterns and Tigma discontinuous weft patterns in Bhutan. The continuous weft patterns are very similar to those featured in other textile throughout South and Southeast Asia . The weft yarn is inserted between intervals of

312-462: The British Empire . Ultimately, the hereditary Penlop of Trongsa , Ugyen Wangchuck , was elected the first Druk Gyalpo by an assembly of his subjects in 1907, marking the ascendency of his dynasty. Under Bhutan's early theocratic Tibetan dual system of government , decreasingly effective central government control resulted in the de facto disintegration of the office of Shabdrung after

351-598: The Bumthang region of central Bhutan. The family belongs to the Nyö clan, and is descended from Pema Lingpa , a Bhutanese Nyingmapa saint. The Nyö clan emerged as a local aristocracy, supplanting many older aristocratic families of Tibetan origin that sided with Tibet during invasions of Bhutan. In doing so, the clan came to occupy the hereditary position of Penlop of Trongsa , as well as significant national and local government positions. The Penlop of Trongsa managed central Bhutan;

390-548: The Duar War with Britain (1864–65) as well as substantial territorial losses ( Cooch Behar 1835; Assam Duars 1841), armed conflict turned inward. In 1870, amid the continuing civil wars, the 10th Penlop of Trongsa, Jigme Namgyal ascended to the office of 48th Druk Desi . In 1879, he appointed his 17-year-old son Ugyen Wangchuck as the 23rd Penlop of Paro. Jigme Namgyal reigned through his death 1881, punctuated by periods of retirement during which he retained effective control of

429-500: The KCIE in 1905. Meanwhile, the last officially recognized Shabdrung and Druk Desi had died in 1903 and 1904, respectively. As a result, a power vacuum formed within the already dysfunctional dual system of government . Civil administration had fallen to the hands of Penlop Ugyen Wangchuck, and in November 1907 he was unanimously elected hereditary monarch by an assembly of the leading members of

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468-683: The Raven Crown passed to the 16-year-old Jigme Singye Wangchuck . The Fourth King was, like his father, educated in England and India, and had also attended Ugyen Wangchuck Academy at Satsham Choten in Paro . Reigning until 2006, the Fourth King was responsible for the development of the tourism industry, Gross National Happiness as a concept, and strides in democratization including the draft Constitution of Bhutan . The later years of his reign, however, also marked

507-516: The 19th century, extension of British power at Bhutan's borders as well as Tibetan incursions in British Sikkim defined politically opposed pro-Tibet and pro-Britain forces. This period of intense rivalry between and within western and central Bhutan, coupled with external forces from Tibet and especially the British Empire , provided the conditions for the ascendancy of the Penlop of Trongsa. After

546-559: The Chairman of the Royal Textile Academy of Bhutan (RTAB). Today Bhutanese textiles have reached new heights of dynamism and respect; they are valued not only for their economic viability, but also as a symbol of Bhutan's artistic heritage that commands world attention and appreciation. Ordinary weavers produced fabrics for general use that were of standard quality. The farmers wove only when they were free from agricultural work. It

585-497: The clergy, officials, and aristocratic families. His ascendency to the throne ended the traditional dual system of government in place for nearly 300 years. The title Penlop of Trongsa – or Penlop of Chötse, another name for Trongsa – continued to be held by crown princes. As King of Bhutan , Ugyen Wangchuck secured the Treaty of Punakha (1910), under which Britain guaranteed Bhutan's independence, granted Bhutanese Royal Government

624-523: The competition for regional dominance. Chogyal Minjur Tenpa (1613–1680; r. 1667–1680) was the first Penlop of Trongsa ( Tongsab ), appointed by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal . He was born Damchho Lhundrub in Min-Chhud, Tibet , and led a monastic life from childhood. Before his appointment as Tongsab , he held the appointed post of Umzey (Chant Master). A trusted follower of the Shabdrung , Minjur Tenpa

663-531: The country. The pro-Britain Penlop Ugyen Wangchuck ultimately prevailed against the pro-Tibet and anti-Britain Penlop of Paro after a series of civil wars and rebellions between 1882 and 1885. After his father's death in 1881, Ugyen Wangchuck entered a feud over the post of Penlop of Trongsa . In 1882, at the age of 20, he marched on Bumthang and Trongsa , winning the post of Penlop of Trongsa in addition to Paro. In 1885, Ugyen Wangchuck intervened in

702-452: The death of Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal in 1651. Under the dual system of the government, Desi or the temporal rulers took control of civil administration and Je Khenpos took control of religious affairs. Two successor Shabdrungs – the son (1651) and stepbrother (1680) of Ngawang Namgyal – were effectively controlled by the Druk Desi and Je Khenpo until power was further splintered through

741-486: The departure of Bhutanese refugees in the 1990s amid the government's driglam namzha policy (official behaviour and dress code) and citizenship laws that were overzealously enforced by some district officials. To the surprise of the Bhutanese public, the Fourth King announced his abdication in 2005 and retired in 2006, handing the crown to his son Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck . Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck assumed

780-630: The dynasty. The position of Druk Gyalpo – who heads the royal family of Bhutan – is more commonly known in English as the King of Bhutan, however "Druk Gyalpo" would be translated literally as "Dragon King" (or less commonly, "King of the Dragons", or "Thunder Dragon King") The Wangchuck dynasty ruled government power in Bhutan and established relations with the British Empire and India under its first two monarchs. The third, fourth, and fifth (current) monarchs have put

819-400: The each textile proposed in the competition is tagged with a number. Visitors to the museum vote "for the best piece" of art based on the number of the art piece displayed. The name of the artist is not shown. Besides pesar , the traditional art form, innovative other textile designs in appliqué and embroidery have also been proposed for future competitions. The museum also has plans to host

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858-457: The galleries situated on the first floor of the Textile Museum. There are displays showing the traditional regional garments produced by women and men in Bhutan, and those garments used for special religious occasions. The museum organises design competitions to display the best textiles. A novel method adopted for this competition is the selection process of public polling. In this procedure,

897-468: The hereditary position of Druk Gyalpo ("Dragon King") of Bhutan since 1907. Prior to reunification, the Wangchuck family had governed the district of Trongsa as descendants of Dungkar Choji. They eventually overpowered other regional lords and earned the favour of the British Empire . After consolidating power, the 12th Penlop of Trongsa Gongsar Ugyen Wangchuck was elected Druk Gyalpo, thus founding

936-610: The horizontal loom from Tibet in the 1930s. Her Majesty the Queen Mother Ashi Sangay Choden Wangchuck continuous to extend royal patronage to the textile industry. Her Majesty's interest and intervention have revitalised Bhutanese textiles, given the industry and impetus within the country and brought world attention to Bhutanese textiles. She is the Royal Patron of the Bhutan Textile Museum and

975-471: The innovation of multiple Shabdrung incarnations, reflecting speech, mind, and body. Increasingly secular regional lords ( penlops and dzongpons ) competed for power amid a backdrop of civil war over the Shabdrung and invasions from Tibet , and the Mongol Empire . The penlops of Trongsa and Paro , and the dzongpons of Punakha , Thimphu , and Wangdue Phodrang were particularly notable figures in

1014-426: The kingdom on its path toward democratization , decentralization , and development. There have been five Wangchuck kings of Bhutan, namely: The ascendency of the Wangchuck family is deeply rooted in the historical politics of Bhutan . Between 1616 and 1907, varying administrative, religious, and regional powers vied for control within Bhutan. During this period, factions were influenced and supported by Tibet and

1053-564: The last century. As textile production moved beyond the confines of clothing to artistic expression of individuals and communities, patronage from the royal household was vital. Although the founders of the Wangchuck dynasty are from Bumthang , their ancestral home is in Lhuntse District , which was historically recognised as the home of the most celebrated weavers in the country. The role and influence of royal women in sustaining and furthering

1092-483: The museum are: the first version of the Raven crown, brocade uzhams(crowns) worn by the first king, and the second king, and a princess crown worn by the sister of the first king, Ashi Wangmo. The ground floor of the Textile Museum has displays demonstrating the skills of spinning, colouring fibres, preparing a loom, and manipulating two sets of yarns. Decorative fabrics and textile arts and crafts are categorically displayed in

1131-511: The museum has an invaluable collection of Bhutanese antique textile artefacts of Bhutan, including crowns of Bhutan's kings, Namzas (dresses) and other accessories worn by the Royal Family, a pearl robe from Tsamdrak Goenpa and the bedding of Shabdrung Jigme Dorji. Some of the unique collections donated by the Queen Mother, Ashi Sangay Choden Wangchuck, and some private individuals on display in

1170-622: The museum. While the Peabody Essex Museum in the United States provided technical support to set up the museum. Wangchuck serves as the patron of the museum and has enhanced national and international interest in the Bhutanese textile industry. The museum is divided into six areas of special focus, including Achievements in textile arts, the role of textiles in religion, textiles from indigenous fibres, The Royal Collection, warp pattern weaves, and weft pattern weaves. The Royal Collection of

1209-462: The reign of the Third King, Bhutan began further political and legal reforms and started to open to the outside world. Notably, the Third King was responsible for establishing a unicameral National Assembly in 1953 and establishing relations with Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in 1958. Under Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, Bhutan also modernized its legal codes . The Third King died in 1972, and

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1248-479: The rival Penlop of Paro controlled western Bhutan; and dzongpons controlled areas surrounding their respective dzongs . The Penlop of Paro, unlike Trongsa, was an office appointed by the Druk Desi 's central government. Because western regions controlled by the Penlop of Paro contained lucrative trade routes, it became the object of competition among aristocratic families. Although Bhutan generally enjoyed favorable relations with both Tibet and British India through

1287-505: The threads of interdependence, and wove the very fabric of Bhutanese society. Plain weave textiles are usually woven in patterns with stripes and plaids. Warp is the yarn that runs lengthwise on the loom. The warp pattern designs are characterized by their supplementary warp floating technique that forms bands of repeated motifs on ground. The different warp pattern designs are differentiated with their color schemes. The number of legs or cross hatches in each supplementary warp pattern band

1326-518: The warp yarn to create continuous weft patterns. The discontinuous weft patterns motifs resemble embroidery are indigenous to Bhutan. Colored pattern yarns are knotted individually to the weft yarns to create geometric motifs which are usually combination of multiple pattern motifs. The sapma and Tingma weft pattern designs are usually used as pattern designs for : House of Wangchuck The Wangchuck dynasty ( Tibetan : དབང་ཕྱུག་རྒྱལ་བརྒྱུད་ , Wylie : Dbang-phyug Rgyal-brgyud ) have held

1365-469: The weaving tradition must be acknowledged. The 10th Trongsa Penlop Jigme Namgyal built the Wangducholing Palace in 1857 the loom houses (thagchem) accommodating 30 to 40 weavers, were built around the same time near the palace and existed until the mid 1900s. The youngest sister of the second king, Princess Ashi Kencho Wangmo Wangchuck (later a Buddhist nun ), is credited to have introduced

1404-652: The world), skills and methods adopted in their creation, noteworthy role in religious, official and social events represented by "glyphs and symbols of ancient knowledge" and their deep sacred connotation. The Bhutan Textile Museum was first conceived by the Queen Mother Ashi Sangay Choden Wangchuck . It was established in 2001 and inaugurated by the Queen. The museum was constructed at a cost of around $ 165,000 with Danish assistance. Government of Bhutan and private donors also provided assistance to set up

1443-477: Was characterized by an increasingly powerful central government and the beginnings of infrastructure development. Bhutan also established its first diplomatic relations with India under the bilateral Treaty of Friendship, largely patterned after the prior Treaty of Punakha. The Third King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck ( r. 1952–1972) ascended the throne at the age of 23, having been educated in England and India . During

1482-457: Was sent to subdue kings of Bumthang, Lhuntse, Trashigang, Zhemgang, and other lords from Trongsa Dzong . After doing so, the Tongsab divided his control in the east among eight regions (Shachho Khorlo Tsegay), overseen by Dungpas and Kutshabs (civil servants). He went on to build Jakar , Lhuntse , Trashigang, and Zhemgang Dzongs. Within this political landscape, the Wangchuck family originated in

1521-424: Was the royal weavers, thama , in the royal loom houses who were the professionals. Some of the aristocratic and landed households also professional weavers. The all-encompassing use of textiles took it beyond the realm of clothing to the realms of rituals and symbolism, as a form of wealth and commodities for trade and taxation. A well-established system of production, use and exchange linked the communities, extended

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