Fragment of Kashmir Shawl

Kashmir shawls originated in the Kashmir Valley, where they were woven by innovative textile specialists who figured out how to create incredibly warm, soft, and light cloth from the inner coat of goats living in the Changthang (Himalayan plateaux).

Kashmir production flourished under the Mughal emperors, especially Emperor Akbar and his son Jahangir, whose interest in the natural world combined with the colonial influx of European florilegia and herbals may have influenced shawl designers to include a variety of florals into these once plainly-designed textiles.

Kashmir shawls can be dated fairly accurately as their design evolved through the years. Early shawls featured plain central fields, their buta were not bordered but grounded into small urns. Later ones became more baroque, no doubt influenced by Parisian style and the jacquard loom technique.

This fragment has a dark brown ground with three red flowers evenly spaced apart. The red leaves are long and narrow and are coming from a green stem. Also coming from the stem are smaller, immature flowers in red and orange.