Long Shawl with Black Center and Exotic Four-Sided Gallery in Chinoiserie Style
Unknown Artist
1840s
Medium
wool; 2/2 twill tapestry (S), double interlocked, pieced, refreshed
Dimensions
{"overall":{"height":3.328,"width":1.396}}
Classification
Textile
Department
Textiles
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Gift of Arlene C. Cooper
Accession Number
2010.141
About this artwork
This expensive woven shawl has been refreshed—that is, its outdated designs have been replaced with beautiful new decoration. Overlapping pairs of botehs, or paisleys, enliven the original end panels (pallava) whereas the area around the central black rectangle was updated with an exotic four-sided gallery featuring ships, buildings, and flags that suggest Chinese influence. This stunning shawl is composed of seven almost invisibly joined pieces. One large section contains both ends and the cont...