Modern Paisley Jacquard Shawl

Description

Originally based on seventeenth-century Mughal Indian depictions of flowers and leaves, paisley patterns evolved into the more abstract teardrop shape recognized today. A Jacquard-woven silk textile (ca. 1900) in the Museum’s collection is the source for our lustrous adaptation featuring an elegant paisley pattern.

Wool/Silk/Viscose. Imported. 72'' x 28''.

Art History

The distinctive motif called paisley is derived from depictions of flowering plants created by artists of the Mughal Indian court beginning in the seventeenth century. Over time, it evolved into a more abstract curving shape resembling an elongated comma. European manufacturers of the late eighteenth century further adapted the motif into the teardrop shape recognized today. The design was ultimately named after the Scottish town of Paisley, a major center for these patterned textiles until about 1870.