Sir Joshua Reynolds and the Indian Cashmere Shawl

Fascinating detailed online lecture from the London Art History Society tracing changes meaning of depictions of Cashmere shawls in three portraits by Reynolds.

Taking portraits of Captain John Foote, Mrs Horton previously Nancy Parsons and Mrs Baldwin, Jennifer Van Schoor, art director and graphic designer, traced the meaning of shawls in the 18^th century.

For Foote the shawl was part of a diplomatic gift and showed his status within the East India Company on his return to England soon after this painting was made returnees from India were starting to be seen unfavourably and as ostentatious. Foreign luxuries were seen as threatening manners.

The shawl in the painting of Nancy Parsons has shades of promiscuity as she was known to be the mistress of the Prime Minister the 3^rd Duke of Grafton. It was linking the exotic with low morals.

Finally in the portrait of Mrs Baldwin it is still a sign of the exotic but in this case it was being seen as more acceptable as she was from the Ottoman Empire and this was her national dress and, with he advent of the empire line dresses, shawls were becoming more common place fashion items.

I do enjoy these sort of in-depth look at a niche subject.