COSTUMES
Scotland [?]; or France [?]
Shawl, Paisley
1855 - 1875
Plain weave; Twill weave; Supplementary weft patterning; Knotted
Wool
68 x 65 in. (172 x 165 cm)
Harriet Tidball Collection
TC 77.7-1224

In its shape, size and decoration this European shawl is a visual approximation of the Kashmir "vase" shawl displayed above it, but lacks the rich and dense texture and colors of the Indian shawl. Both are square, with a black central medallion surrounded by a field of red and black curvilinear patterns and vase-like shapes oriented towards the center. Its harlequin borders, created by colored warps, appear on only two of its edges. The Scottish shawl is much lighter and smoother than the Indian shawl, which is made heavy by its tilikar construction. The thick white stripe of this Scottish shawl appears on only two of the shawl's quadrants. These stripes face each other diagonally. Since square shawls of this size were folded diagonally when worn, the white lines were designed to complement the fold line. -- Label copy for From Kashmir to Paisley: The Evolution of a Shawl, April 3 to June 8, 1990.