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Pashmina: The Kashmir Shawl and Beyond
• The first major study of the subject, aimed at an academic as well as a general readership
• Illustrated with superb images collected over the years by the authors
Kashmir has an enduring claim to the attention of lovers of beauty, with its breathtaking landscapes. It is also home to the Kashmir shawl, which at its finest was among the most exquisite textiles ever woven, the product of consummate artistry and skill applied to Pashmina, one of the most delicate fibres in the world. More than that, for at least three centuries, the shawl's excellence and worth made it the center of a huge and complex commercial operation involving, in its heyday, tens of thousands of people, and extending from Tibet to the marts of west Asia, Europe and America.
Coveted by Mughal emperors and Sikh maharajas, Iranian nobles, Armenian merchants, French empresses, British aristocrats and, eventually, the prosperous bourgeoisie created on both sides of the Atlantic by the Industrial Revolution, it inspired any number of imitations, but none that could even approach the delicacy and charm of the original.
This is the first major study of the subject, aimed at an academic as well as a general readership. The objective is to combine a well researched and accessibly written text with carefully chosen illustrations that will complement the text and bring it to life.
• Illustrated with superb images collected over the years by the authors
Kashmir has an enduring claim to the attention of lovers of beauty, with its breathtaking landscapes. It is also home to the Kashmir shawl, which at its finest was among the most exquisite textiles ever woven, the product of consummate artistry and skill applied to Pashmina, one of the most delicate fibres in the world. More than that, for at least three centuries, the shawl's excellence and worth made it the center of a huge and complex commercial operation involving, in its heyday, tens of thousands of people, and extending from Tibet to the marts of west Asia, Europe and America.
Coveted by Mughal emperors and Sikh maharajas, Iranian nobles, Armenian merchants, French empresses, British aristocrats and, eventually, the prosperous bourgeoisie created on both sides of the Atlantic by the Industrial Revolution, it inspired any number of imitations, but none that could even approach the delicacy and charm of the original.
This is the first major study of the subject, aimed at an academic as well as a general readership. The objective is to combine a well researched and accessibly written text with carefully chosen illustrations that will complement the text and bring it to life.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published July 16, 2009
74 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
January 29, 2019
This book is like the girl who wants to go to India but she has to go there alone but she was happy there. I think the students who like to read realistic faction will like this book.
February 1, 2022
This book is an excellent study and history of the Kashmir shawl from its origins on the underbelly of a Tibetan goat, through the complex commercial and technical process that transforms the fiber into one of the most exquisite textiles ever woven. There is so much terminology associated with the shawl industry, many words whose meaning has changed over time, and Janet Rizvi explains them all. Most notably, she details the various meanings of “shawl” and the actual definitions of cashmere and pashmina.
There are plenty of gorgeous pictures to accompany this amazing story. The photos are not just of shawls, although those are some of the best ones. There are also pictures of people at work on shawls, and historical illustrations showing how shawls were worn during different time periods.
My favorite part of the book told how Kashmiri designers created a floral motif for the shawl called a buta or boteh and centuries later this became known as the paisley.
This is a beautiful, fascinating book that I think both a scholar or a layperson will find easily readable and enjoyable.
There are plenty of gorgeous pictures to accompany this amazing story. The photos are not just of shawls, although those are some of the best ones. There are also pictures of people at work on shawls, and historical illustrations showing how shawls were worn during different time periods.
My favorite part of the book told how Kashmiri designers created a floral motif for the shawl called a buta or boteh and centuries later this became known as the paisley.
This is a beautiful, fascinating book that I think both a scholar or a layperson will find easily readable and enjoyable.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews