Shawl thumbnail 1
Not currently on display at the V&A

Shawl

1880-1920 (made)
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 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.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Silk crêpe ground with twisted silk embroidery, knotted fringe at sides.
Brief description
Shawl, silk crêpe ground embroidered with twisted silk, Guangdong province, China, Qing dynasty-Republican China, 1880-1920.
Physical description
Shawl. Black silk crêpe ground embroidered with white twisted silks in satin stitch. Both the central panel and the borders are heavily embroidered with flowers ( plumb blossom, peonies, chrysanthemum and butterflies). Knotted fringe of white twisted silks at sides.
Dimensions
  • Height: 140.0cm
  • Width: 148.0cm
Plus 47cm fringe
Styles
Credit line
Given by Mrs. N. Iliffe. From the collection of her mother, Lady Pickthorn.
Object history
Registered File number 1983/775.
Subjects 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 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.
Bibliographic references
  • Clunas, Craig, ed. Chinese Export Art and Design. London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 1987. (similar designs: pp. 32-33) ISBN 1851770003
  • Wilson, Verity. Chinese textiles. London: V&A publications, 2005, plate 28. ISBN 1851774386
  • Miller, Lesley Ellis, and Ana Cabrera Lafuente, with Claire Allen-Johnstone, eds. Silk: Fibre, Fabric and Fashion. London: Thames & Hudson Ltd in association with the Victoria and Albert Museum, 2021. ISBN 978-0-500-48065-6. This object features in the publication Silk: Fibre, Fabric and Fashion (2021)
Collection
Accession number
FE.29-1983

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Record createdFebruary 12, 2000
Record URL
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