Embroidered shawls (amli rumal) depicting complex figural motifs exemplify the artistic mastery of Indian textile production. By the nineteenth century, Kashmir shawls evolved greatly from the floral woven designs inspired by Mughal motifs to more elaborate embroidered figural shawls depicting various people, animals, and even city maps. The intensive nature of production and high taxes of woven goods contributed to increased popularity of embroidered shawls by 1830, coinciding with the start of the Sikh period. The chainstitch embroidery technique also facilitated more ambitious designs than previously possible on a loom. The present shawl presents an impressive and diverse group of characters: a fasting ascetic, noblemen, bands of soldiers, angels, dancers, musicians and countless animals.
Other figural shawls have sold at Christie’s London 18 June 2019, lot 55, and 26 June 2020, lot 33. An late-19th or early 20th century amli rumal shawl depicting an elaborate map of Srinagar recently sold at Christie’s London on 30 March 2022, lot 96 for a record GBP 214,200.