Square shawl, wool
India, Kashmir; beginning of 19th century
H: 161; W: 168 cm
Inventory number 26/1992
This “moon shawl” is square, like most Kashmir shawls, and was intended to be worn over the shoulders. The finest of them were made of pashmina wool from the wild mountain goat, Capra hircus. Making a shawl was time-consuming teamwork that involved spinners, dyers, pattern designers, craftsmen responsible for arranging the warp and weft, weavers, and craftsmen who finished the shawl. A complicated piece like this one took over a year to weave.
Kashmir shawls became the height of fashion in Europe in around 1800. In the course of the 19th century, copies woven on Jacquard looms were made in France and England that eventually made it impossible for workshops in Kashmir to compete with them.
Kashmir shawls became the height of fashion in Europe in around 1800. In the course of the 19th century, copies woven on Jacquard looms were made in France and England that eventually made it impossible for workshops in Kashmir to compete with them.
Published in
Published in
Jack Cassin: “Chand-Dar: the moon-shawls of Kashmir” in Hali, 1980, 3:4, pp. 290-293, fig. 5;
Kjeld von Folsach and Anne-Marie Keblow Bernsted: Woven Treasures: Textiles from the World of Islam, David Collection, Copenhagen 1993, cat.no. 54;
Kjeld von Folsach: “Textiles and society” in Carpet and textile art, 1994, 1.Hali annual, p. 16, fig. 7;
Kjeld von Folsach, Torben Lundbæk and Peder Mortensen (eds.): Sultan, Shah and Great Mughal: the history and culture of the Islamic world, The National Museum, Copenhagen 1996, cat.no. 404;
Kjeld von Folsach: Art from the World of Islam in The David Collection, Copenhagen 2001, cat.no. 684;
Kjeld von Folsach and Anne-Marie Keblow Bernsted: Woven Treasures: Textiles from the World of Islam, David Collection, Copenhagen 1993, cat.no. 54;
Kjeld von Folsach: “Textiles and society” in Carpet and textile art, 1994, 1.Hali annual, p. 16, fig. 7;
Kjeld von Folsach, Torben Lundbæk and Peder Mortensen (eds.): Sultan, Shah and Great Mughal: the history and culture of the Islamic world, The National Museum, Copenhagen 1996, cat.no. 404;
Kjeld von Folsach: Art from the World of Islam in The David Collection, Copenhagen 2001, cat.no. 684;
Textiles, Carpets and Leather
