Unknown Maker, Indian

Produced to appeal to the tastes of elite clients of the Persian court (located in present-day Iran), this subtle yet luxurious mantle is scattered with flower heads drawn with stems, leaves, and roots, in the tradition of the sashes at the front of this case.

This piece was woven in Kashmir, a contested area north of India that has long been celebrated for its textiles. Using thread spun from the exceptionally fine undercoat of the Tibetan mountain goat, the weaver worked with such precision it almost looks as if the boteh motifs were painted with thread.

The small floral motif repeated throughout the field of this shawl - originally woven for the Persian market - is one of the forerunners of the paisley motif. Note the ways in which the individual elements of this single flower head with stems, leaves, and roots are elaborated and exaggerated to create the variety of paisley motifs seen in the rest of the shawls in the gallery.