Motif from Kashmir Shawl: Pheerozee (Turquoise Color), No. 23, By Order of Mahummud Azeem Khan
ca. 1822–23
Medium
Gouache on paper, varnished
Dimensions
Sheet: 15 7/8 × 6 7/16 in. (40.3 × 16.4 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1962
Accession Number
62.600.235(8)
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite gouache drawing captures a delicate floral motif intended for a Kashmir shawl, one of the most coveted luxury textiles of the early 19th century. Created around 1822–23 by an anonymous Indian artist, the work was commissioned “by order of Mahummud Azeem Khan” and labeled “Pheerozee,” indicating the turquoise colorway. Such pattern sheets served as precise guides for weavers, translating intricate botanical designs into the fine woolen fabrics that traveled from Kashmir to European and Asian markets. Executed in opaque watercolor on paper and finished with varnish, the sheet hig...
About the Artist
Anonymous, Indian, 19th century · 1800–1900
**Anonymous, Indian, 19th Century (ca. 1800–1900)** The artist cataloged as Anonymous, Indian, 19th century represents one of countless skilled Indian painters whose identities remain elusive in historical records, active during a transformative era under British colonial influence. Working roughly between 1800 and 1900, this anonymous figure exemplifies the legion of indigenous artists who adapt...