Paisley shawl, c. 1850-1900
Britishexpand_more
Woolexpand_more
Gift of Elizabeth Olstad in memory of Eva V. Olsonexpand_more 2022.93
Not on Viewexpand_more
Paisley shawls were a global phenomenon in the late 18th and nineteenth centuries. Fine cashmere shawls decorated with stylized pinecone buta/boteh motifs were made in the Kashmir region of India/Pakistan from the eleventh century. These luxury accessories became especially coveted by Europeans in the wake of Napoleon’s military campaigns in Egypt and Syria (1798-1801).
By 1808, wool shawls designed to mimic those produced in South Asia were being made in Paisley, Scotland. Production increased through the nineteenth century, spurred by industrialism and recourse to the Jacquard loom which pumped out finished shawls at a higher rate than the handcrafted versions made in Kashmir. Soon, the imitation shawls made in Scotland flooded the market and came to be referred to as “paisley shawls”; the term “paisley” was even applied to the pinecone buta/boteh design.
Details
- Title
- Paisley shawl
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- 2022.93
- Curator Approved
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