{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O478867"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O478867/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AW2813/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AW2813/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AW2813","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AN2180","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AN2179","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O478867/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O478867","accessionNumber":"IS.119-1958","objectType":"Shawl","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"<b>Object Type</b>\r\nKashmir shawls had been items of fashionable dress in Europe since the late 18th century, and had reached the peak of their popularity there during the first half of the 19th century. By the time when pieces of Kashmir shawls were exhibited at the Great Exhibition in 1851, the designs had become overblown and elaborate, and the shawls themselves very long.This piece dates from the final phase of the shawl's popularity. They had first become noted as fashionable items of male dress at the court of the Emperor Akbar (ruled 1555-1605).\r\n\r\n<b>Materials & Making</b>\r\nKashmir shawls are made of the soft under-hair of the Himalayan goat, Capra hircus laniger. The fibre is known as pashmina, from the Persian pashm, meaning 'wool'. The shawls are woven in twill weave, and often have designs in a double-interlocking tapestry technique called kani weave. The designs are woven individually by hand by the weaver at the loom using separate spools of coloured pashmina.\r\n\r\n<b>Trading</b>\r\nThe trade in Kashmir shawls to Europe started around the 1770s, and was well established by about 1800. Leaders of fashion such as the Empress Josephine in France and Emma Hamilton in Britain owned large collections of shawls, which went very well with the loose-fitting 'Empire' fashions of the time.  European merchants soon established themselves in the main centres, especially Srinagar in Kashmir, and set about persuading the weavers to make shawls that would conform to the tastes of their respective countries. This shawl, for example, was woven purely with the western market in mind.\r\n","physicalDescription":"Shawl of woven pashmina wool. With a design of large cones and leaf-forms and with a white centre.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Woven pashmina (goat-hair)","categories":[{"text":"Textiles","id":"THES48885"},{"text":"Clothing","id":"THES48975"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"SSEA","id":"THES48598"},"images":["2006AW2813","2006AN2180","2006AN2179"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"004","id":"THES394853"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Shawl","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Kashmir","id":"x32584"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca.1865-70","earliest":"1860-01-01","latest":"1870-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by the Dowager Marchioness of Reading, GBE","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Length","value":"138","unit":"in","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"57","unit":"in","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Shawl of woven pashmina wool, Kashmir, ca.1865-70","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"Stronge, S. \"The Arts of the Sikh Kingdoms\", V&A, 1999","id":"AUTH327365"},"details":"pps. 122-123, pl 134. cat. no. 196, p. 237","free":""}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"British Galleries:\r\nThe elaborate design of this shawl is typical of the kind woven in India for the British market. The traditional pine cone pattern became highly stylised to accommodate British tastes. By the 1850s the Kashmir shawl industry in India was dominated by French and English agents who brought more patterns from Europe for the local shawl weavers to copy.\r\n","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null}}],"partNumbers":["IS.119-1958"],"accessionNumberNum":"119","accessionNumberPrefix":"IS","accessionYear":1958,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-02-10","recordCreationDate":"2009-06-25","availableToBook":true}}