Espoliné Shawl In Indian Cashmere - Compagnie Des Indes Late 18th Century

Circa 1780-1800 India for export to Europe Very rare Indian cashmere shawl with espoliné weave from the East India Company and dating from the last quarter of the 18th century. Very fine tapestry stitch called espoliné and large reserve in twill twill in Tibetan goat down, extremely soft. It is woven in one piece, borders included and without tucking, which constitutes a technological feat on the part of Indian craftsmen of the 18th century. Each end is made up of ten boteh or palms with stylized vase bases and decoration called Mille fleurs, typical of Indian production of the 18th century. These stole shawls dressed the English and then French elite from the Directory onwards, whose most famous muse is Joséphine de Beauharnais (see last photo of the Masséna Museum in Nice). The Indian shawl corresponded to this post-revolutionary "decorseted" fashion which consisted of draping oneself in the antique style, like a Greek statue! Two or three rare tiny moth holes, some tuck-in stops in the cochineal red reserve, carried out very old and probably in the 18th century. No other defects. Exceptional state of conservation given its age and its presumed fragility. Dimensions: 307 cm long by 137 cm, this long dimension indicates to us that this shawl was made for the French market. Similar reference at the Museum of the East India Company in Port Louis