Shawl

Unknown

1800–1810 · silk, wool · Costume Institute

Empire style favored the cotton or mull dress, often sheer and invariably light in weight. In order for this garment to serve year-round, it had to be modified by layering. The popularity of the Kashmir shawl--and its European and Scottish copies--in the early years of the nineteenth century not only preserved decorum with these delicate dresses, but also protected the wearers from chill weather.

Artist

Unknown

Date

1800–1810

Medium

silk, wool

Culture

Indian

Department

Costume Institute

Credit line

Gift of Lois Dwight Cole Taylor, 1975