20-21 / 168
18
19
5
SQUARE SHAWL WITH SUNBURST
CENTRE
KASHMIR, MID 19
TH
CENTURY
Handspun and handwoven Pashmina, natural dyes
72.25 x 72.25 in (184 x 184 cm)
$ 6,065 - 9,095
Rs 4,00,000 - 6,00,000
NONEXPORTABLE
The four-sided borders are often made up of multi-
coloured pieces, with each colour enclosed within an
embroidered arch and a pattern embroidered on the
inner surface. This feature led to them being called
harlequin shawls in the West. However, in Kashmir
and Iran, they were said to be representative of the
colours of the rainbow and associated with the
colourful dress worn by some Sufi dervishes.
Bold
rumals
such as these were generally woven
during the Dogra period, sometimes in Kashmir but
also in Amritsar, Punjab. They were fashionable among
the aristocracy of North India, and also exported to
Persia where they were popular with the nobility of
the Qajar period.
4
SQUARE SHAWL WITH RADIATING
CENTRE
KASHMIR, MID 19
TH
CENTURY
Handspun and handwoven Pashmina, natural dyes
69.5 x 72.75 in (177 x 185 cm)
$ 7,580 - 10,610
Rs 5,00,000 - 7,00,000
NONEXPORTABLE
Lots 4 and 5 are square shawls which display an
exquisite sense of craftsmanship with bold patterns
and contrasting colours. Each lot has a predominantly
red and white design worked over a black ground,
which is visible only at the centre. It is from the central
medallion that the designs radiate out towards the
edge and the corners of the shawls, with meandering
vines, bouquets of flowers, slender and elongated
butas
, and the ‘Tree of Life' motif.
Square shawls were popularly known as
rumals
or
handkerchiefs. They were seldom woven as single
pieces, but pieced together with patterns woven
in sections and then stitched perfectly together by
experts known as
rafoogars
. They were worn folded
in half along the diagonal and draped over the
shoulders or sometimes wrapped around the waist.