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This is an åkdyna (carriage cushion), embroidered in cross-stitch and long-armed cross-stitch (tvistsöm) from the southern Swedish region of Skåne.
Repeating floral motifs are not unusual on such pieces, especially those that are clearly descended from representations of pomegranates. This motif, which Swedish textile historian Ernst Fischer also suggests is a pomegranate variation that appeared in the late 18th century, seems to be less common. In fact, I've only been able to find two other examples, one in the Kulturen i Lund Museum collection and the other in the Trelleborgs Museum dated 1817:
Here's a close-up on my ågdyna:
This åkdyna was most likely made for a wedding celebration, since it has the initials of the groom (PPS) and the bride (KID) as well as the date, ANO 1819.
As was typical on many cushions from the southwest of Skåne (this one is probably from the Vemmenhögs, Torna or Bara district), the back is red vadmal (felted wool). At the corners, the duskor (tassles) remain intact.
Before we transitioned to our new software, there was a (now lost) thread that started to look at some Swedish and Norwegian embroidered cushions. If you have some examples to post, let's continue the conversation.
Joel Greifinger
Repeating floral motifs are not unusual on such pieces, especially those that are clearly descended from representations of pomegranates. This motif, which Swedish textile historian Ernst Fischer also suggests is a pomegranate variation that appeared in the late 18th century, seems to be less common. In fact, I've only been able to find two other examples, one in the Kulturen i Lund Museum collection and the other in the Trelleborgs Museum dated 1817:
Here's a close-up on my ågdyna:
This åkdyna was most likely made for a wedding celebration, since it has the initials of the groom (PPS) and the bride (KID) as well as the date, ANO 1819.
As was typical on many cushions from the southwest of Skåne (this one is probably from the Vemmenhögs, Torna or Bara district), the back is red vadmal (felted wool). At the corners, the duskor (tassles) remain intact.
Before we transitioned to our new software, there was a (now lost) thread that started to look at some Swedish and Norwegian embroidered cushions. If you have some examples to post, let's continue the conversation.
Joel Greifinger
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