Motif from Kashmir Shawl: Pheerozee (Turquoise Color), No. 23, By Order of Mahummud Azeem Khan 1817 - 1828

Curator: Let’s turn our attention to “Motif from Kashmir Shawl: Pheerozee (Turquoise Color), No. 23, By Order of Mahummud Azeem Khan.” This piece, created between 1817 and 1828, gives us a glimpse into the world of textile design from that era. It’s currently held here at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Editor: It has a warm feeling that emanates off the picture, like you could almost smell incense or cardamom by looking at it. There’s such a dense, intricate, and slightly chaotic composition to it that, I want to unravel it. Curator: Indeed. The meticulous patterns hold significant cultural and historical meaning. Notice how the repeated floral motifs represent ideas of paradise, abundance, and the interconnectedness of life so typical in Islamic art. It reflects a worldview. The layering itself carries psychological weight. Editor: I suppose so. It’s interesting how a purely decorative piece, I mean this was meant to be draped on someone's shoulders, can take on the weight of entire cultures and beliefs! Do you think the artist ever really considered all this weight, or do you believe, at the end of the day, they were just happy that the flowers looked pretty? Curator: It's likely a combination of both! There was the artisan creating beauty, but within a highly symbolic visual language which connected the wearer and viewer to tradition, power and cosmology. Think of paisley, for instance. We think of bandanas or rock stars, but it began as the 'boteh' motif, signifying fertility and life in Persian and Kashmiri art. This object becomes more than ornamentation; it becomes a narrative. Editor: Narrative, eh? Well, my story for this image involves being bundled up by an overbearing, yet lovely grandmother with good intentions, ready to trek a freezing cold mountaintop with a cup of hot chai. Curator: An interesting interpretation. I'm fascinated by its blend of aesthetic appeal and cultural memory. Editor: I love that this textile snippet offers an endless expanse into history with only flowers!