Shawl
20th century (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
This type of embroidered, fringed shawl is frequently known by its nickname, the manila de manton or the 'Manila Shawl', because they were made by Chinese embroiderers or traded by Chinese traders from Manila, Philippines, for export to Seville, Spain.
The Philippines came under Spanish rule in from 1565 as the Spanish East Indies, and was administered under the Viceroyalty of New Spain (with its capital in Mexico City) until 1821. In 1821, colonial administration was handed over directly to Spain, and direct trade opened between Manila and Seville in Southern Spain. Such shawls were commonly depicted as being worn by women from this date. While their popularity as export goods later spread beyond Spain into other parts of Europe, there is a strong likelihood that these shawls originally had very strong associations with the Spanish flamenco dance.
Although made by Chinese artisans, such shawls, and their long fringes were never originally part of the Chinese clothing tradition. However in the earlier part of the twentieth century, Chinese women began to wear shawls whether in a bid to express the ostentation of being able to afford 'Western-style' dress, or to adapt to 'modern' fashion. This example was donated by a Chinese woman who wore the piece in the mid-20th century.
The Philippines came under Spanish rule in from 1565 as the Spanish East Indies, and was administered under the Viceroyalty of New Spain (with its capital in Mexico City) until 1821. In 1821, colonial administration was handed over directly to Spain, and direct trade opened between Manila and Seville in Southern Spain. Such shawls were commonly depicted as being worn by women from this date. While their popularity as export goods later spread beyond Spain into other parts of Europe, there is a strong likelihood that these shawls originally had very strong associations with the Spanish flamenco dance.
Although made by Chinese artisans, such shawls, and their long fringes were never originally part of the Chinese clothing tradition. However in the earlier part of the twentieth century, Chinese women began to wear shawls whether in a bid to express the ostentation of being able to afford 'Western-style' dress, or to adapt to 'modern' fashion. This example was donated by a Chinese woman who wore the piece in the mid-20th century.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Materials and techniques | Embroidered silk with silk threads |
Brief description | Embroidered shawl with twisted silks, China, 20th century |
Physical description | Shawl of plain-woven black silk ground embroidered with twisted coloured silks in shades of pink, purple, orange, grey. Long knotted fringe at each side (nearly 40 cm). |
Credit line | Given by Mrs Victoria Dicks |
Object history | This style of shawl is associated with the export trade from China. Fringed shawls were made in very large numbers in several centres in China as well as the Philippines from the early 19th century. Until the 20th century, they were not used by Chinese people but this example was worn by the Chinese donor of the piece in the mid-20th century. |
Subject depicted | |
Summary | This type of embroidered, fringed shawl is frequently known by its nickname, the manila de manton or the 'Manila Shawl', because they were made by Chinese embroiderers or traded by Chinese traders from Manila, Philippines, for export to Seville, Spain. The Philippines came under Spanish rule in from 1565 as the Spanish East Indies, and was administered under the Viceroyalty of New Spain (with its capital in Mexico City) until 1821. In 1821, colonial administration was handed over directly to Spain, and direct trade opened between Manila and Seville in Southern Spain. Such shawls were commonly depicted as being worn by women from this date. While their popularity as export goods later spread beyond Spain into other parts of Europe, there is a strong likelihood that these shawls originally had very strong associations with the Spanish flamenco dance. Although made by Chinese artisans, such shawls, and their long fringes were never originally part of the Chinese clothing tradition. However in the earlier part of the twentieth century, Chinese women began to wear shawls whether in a bid to express the ostentation of being able to afford 'Western-style' dress, or to adapt to 'modern' fashion. This example was donated by a Chinese woman who wore the piece in the mid-20th century. |
Collection | |
Accession number | FE.47-1997 |
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Record created | December 14, 2004 |
Record URL |
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