Shawl c. 1870

This rectangular shawl with fringe was most likely woven in Kashmir, though its exact date and maker are unknown. The red field with paisley motifs arranged in rows represents not only the high level of craftsmanship that Kashmiri weavers were capable of, but also the history of cross-cultural exchange. This textile design, which came to be known as "paisley" in the West, was transmitted through the routes of global trade between India and Europe as early as the 17th century. Demand for these shawls was so great that production was eventually industrialized in Europe. By the 19th century, European mills were creating textiles in imitation of the original Kashmiri design. What makes this textile particularly interesting for the social historian of art is the way it was transformed as it moved from one place to another. Further research into the records of textile production and trade would give us a clearer picture of the cultural exchanges that made this beautiful object possible.