Shawl
19th century
Description
This lightweight shawl was woven from extremely fine wool. In the region of Kashmir, wool was traditionally taken from the soft under-hair of the Himalayan goat. The shawl is made up of a number of separately woven pieces, a practice undertaken to speed up the labor-intensive process of making such shawls, as global demand for them exploded during the 19th century. The main design of this shawl features large bota or droplet-like motifs organized in three rows. Each bota motif is composed of a colorful array of flowers, leaves, and vases, with additional vegetal motifs interspersed between them.
Dimensions
123 × 139 cm (48 7/16 × 54 3/4 in.)
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