Shawl

The personal interest of Empress Josephine (the wife of Napoleon) in shawls from Kashmir is often cited as a major factor in the transformation of European perceptions of textiles such as this one from merely exotic objects to extremely fashionable items of dress in the first decade of the 1800s. These shawls reached the peak of their popularity in France during the first half of the century.

Since Ranjit Singh's invasion in 1819, Kashmir had remained under his rule, and an annual tribute—part of which was paid in shawls—was sent to his court in Lahore. Indeed, after Kashmir's capital, Srinagar, Lahore became the main center for shawl trade, and it was there that many European visitors admired and acquired these shawls. Moreover, the presence of Europeans working in Ranjit Singh's army in Lahore played a significant role in the success of the trade, particularly with France. By 1835 two former Napoleonic generals—employed by Ranjit Singh since 1822 and key figures in this trade—were exporting to Paris shawls that incorporated design elements adapted for the French market.

Over the course of the 1800s, Kashmiri weavers continued to adapt European designs in order to meet the tastes of the international market. Although initially Kashmir shawls were copied in Europe, design books were later taken from France to Kashmir. By the middle of the century, in weaving workshops in Kashmir and Europe the combination of influences on the design of Kashmir shawls resulted in the elongated and curvilinear boteh motif (popularly known as paisley) as seen here.