Square Shawl c. 19th century

This square shawl of unknown date was made by an anonymous artist. The design is dominated by the buta, or paisley motif. This design is associated with Kashmir and became a common element in European textiles during the 19th century. It’s worth considering the global trade networks that allowed such designs and materials to circulate. We might ask ourselves, for instance, how the shawl indexes the relationship between British colonial power in India and shifts in European fashion. It also raises questions about the cultural appropriation of non-Western designs. The industrial revolution played a huge role in the popularity of the design: machine looms mass-produced imitation paisley shawls for the European market. In approaching this kind of object, we historians might consult sources such as trade records, fashion plates, and museum archives in order to better understand the rich networks of exchange behind its design and circulation.