Skeletons of a botanical kind caught my attention in the form of fallen leaves that were gently disintegrating at the base of a White Stinkwood (Celtis Africana) growing just outside our garden. As the soft pulpy part of the leaves decompose and return to the soil, the leaf skeleton of intricate veins is left intact. Following the example set by the cicada terracotta army featured in last week’s post, I collected some leaf skeletons to photograph on a background of white paper.
The skeletal remains of a single leaf photographed on a white background. Looking at its teardrop shape with the downturned curve of the tip I was reminded of paisley patterned fabric
Inspired to read up a bit about the origin of the paisley pattern I discovered that the paisley motif may indeed have a connection with leaves and plants. The shape is termed boteh in Persian, which means bush, shrub or thicket. The motif has an ancient history. Traces include early examples on fragments of textiles dating from the 6th to 8th century found in ancient cemeteries in the Egyptian town of Akhimim. It is thought that the boteh motif may have originated as a stylised depiction of leaves and clusters of leaves, and it may also (among other things) be suggestive of flower blossoms or cypress trees. An interesting and convoluted discussion of possible origins for the motif, many of which are botanical, can be found here at the TurkoTek website, which is “devoted to collectible weavings, where rug enthusiasts can connect”.
Several leaves placed in proximity trying to capture something of the repeated motifs of the paisley pattern
By the 15th century, perhaps brought to India from Iran (Persia), the boteh came to be a popular motif in Kashmiri woven textiles, especially in elaborately patterned luxurious shawls. During the 17th and 18th centuries Kashmiri shawls were imported into Europe by the British East India Company. In response to the growing demand for Kashmiri shawls, European and British weavers began making shawls with patterns copied from those imported from India.
Innovations to looms that were implemented in the textile town of Paisley, where the imitation of Kashmiri shawls was a speciality, enabled weaving in five colours, giving weavers in this Scottish town a competitive edge over other weavers. In time the Kashmiri-inspired shawls made in Paisley became synonymous with the town. Later innovations enabled weaving in 15 colours, which though not a match for the intricate shawls handwoven in Kashmir made it possible to produce lower cost shawls to meet the ongoing demand. It was only during the 1870s, due to a variety of factors, that demand for the woven shawls began to wane.
A silk paisley scarf (or perhaps a pocket square?) and a paisley cravat that belonged to my English grandfather
At the height of their popularity, Queen Victoria herself is reputed to have ordered several Paisley shawls. The pattern itself retained its appeal, attracting designers aligned with artsy and bohemian circles in Britain into the 20th Century.
Rather surprisingly, paisley became a classic standard in mainstream gentlemen’s apparel, especially for ties, cravats, pocket squares and dressing gowns, and worn even by conservative dressers such as my grandfather, father and father-in-law.
A section of the border with paisley motifs on a block-printed Indian cotton fabric
Paisley patterning continues to be prevalent in fabrics and carpets produced in parts of the Middle East and South East Asia, and it remains popular in the West. After having had a resurgence in the hippie and psychedelic era of the 1960s and the 1970s, it continues to feature in rock n roll culture, for example with the late Prince not only wearing elaborate paisley patterned jackets but also naming his recording studio Paisley Park.
This block-printed Indian cloth is a favourite of mine. It has been used as a curtain and as a bed cover, but as the cotton has become faded and ripe it is now folded on the seat of a chair favoured by cats
There is something about the paisley pattern that embodies a sumptuousness that is attainable even for those of us on a modest budget and it maintains a hard-to-define mystique. Even the cravat-wearing whisky drinking gents of the 1950s did not dim its exotic allure
While photographing my paisley fabrics outside in the late-afternoon sunshine, I turned around to see this shadow of a fern on an old cracked porcelain pot. If the shadow pattern is not suggestive of paisley perhaps it is of brocade? That nature inspires design is clear either way
Sources: Andrews, Meg. [n.d.]. Beyond the Fringe: Shawls of Paisley Design. Victoriana Magazine. http://www.victoriana.com/Shawls/paisley-shawl.html; Baker, Lindsay. 2017. Paisley: The story of a classic Bohemian print. http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20151021-paisley-behind-rocks-favourite-fashion; Eduljee, K.E. 2017. Zoroastrian Heritage. Boteh. http://www.heritageinstitute.com/zoroastrianism/trade/paisley.htm; Wikipedia. 2019. Paisley (design). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paisley_(design)
Posted by Carol
May 23, 2020 at 4:54 pm
Rich information. What a remarkable researcher and observer you are, Carol
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May 23, 2020 at 6:18 pm
Thanks very much Mariss. That paisley really piqued my interest.
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July 21, 2019 at 4:31 pm
Nature is full of curious patterns. So much inspiration for designers and artists.
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July 25, 2019 at 8:27 am
Indeed!
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July 20, 2019 at 12:13 pm
I love leaves and as a textile designer in a ‘former life-time’ paizley patterns were part of my work! Beautiful Carol!
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July 21, 2019 at 2:31 pm
That is interesting! Thanks Christeen.
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July 14, 2019 at 6:36 pm
You are never one to disappoint – what an excellent read!
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July 16, 2019 at 6:49 pm
Thanks so much for your kind comment Anne.
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July 14, 2019 at 6:40 am
An interesting read and I like how you rolled with the subject. Those leaves are such delicate little works of art.
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July 14, 2019 at 2:42 pm
Thanks Graham – it was interesting letting the subject unfold though it took a little wrangling from me at times 🙂
Those leaf structures do have a fragile beauty.
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July 13, 2019 at 7:54 pm
Another interesting read, Carol. I do believe that Nature is the foremost inspiration of art since a human first used a piece of charcoal on a cave wall. When I first learned about fractals, they looked like paisley designs to me, which led me to wonder how early humans could have been so spot on with something unseen by the unaided eye. https://thereisnocavalry.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/fractal.jpg
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July 14, 2019 at 1:59 pm
Thanks so much Eliza for sharing the rich connection you make between fractals and paisley! I love the image in the link. So, I have been off on a fascinating read around fractals in nature and going off on interesting tangents too. Perhaps some of it may translate into another post! 🙂 All most inspiring so thanks again.
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July 14, 2019 at 5:18 pm
My pleasure. I’ll look forward to that post!
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July 13, 2019 at 3:11 pm
A most interesting topic and beautifully observed.
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July 14, 2019 at 1:45 pm
Thanks very much Christine.
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July 13, 2019 at 9:49 am
Nature-inspired design… Also brings to mind William Morris designs and Sanderson fabrics (from which I made my first pair of curtains).
Love the way your thoughts meandered here, Carol, but I also love those leaf-skeleton photos. I’d happily have them on my wall.
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July 14, 2019 at 1:54 pm
I also remember Sanderson fabrics. My mother chose matching Sanderson fabric and wallpaper in a flower-inspired pattern for the bedroom I shared with my sister, when I was a child. Now that you mention it I can see the relationship to William Morris designs.
The structures of the leaf skeletons are in such a delicate tracery.
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July 12, 2019 at 11:47 pm
Another splendid and informative post. I’ve always liked Paisley and I suspect that it’s origins in nature may explain the appeal. The shadow on the pot was marvelous as well. Some great observation of detail there!
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July 14, 2019 at 1:47 pm
Thanks very much Gunta. Glad to hear that you also like paisley, and also the shadow on the pot 🙂
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July 12, 2019 at 10:17 am
An evocative post. I’ll never look at paisley quite the same way!
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July 12, 2019 at 10:03 pm
Thanks Susan 🙂
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July 12, 2019 at 7:55 am
Love how ‘one thing leads to another’ in this post, Carol. The leaf skeletons are exquisite. And you have indulged my own delight in paisley, which has recently resurfaced. And as your faded piece shows – the beauty continues.
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July 12, 2019 at 8:39 am
Thanks Tish. It can be interesting to let one thing lead into another. And paisley has so many contexts and resonances that it continues to fascinate.
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July 12, 2019 at 5:13 am
Well, that was fascinating. Natural history and design history rolled into one. And it reminded of a much loved paisley design dress in a soft red cotton that I wore constantly when pregnant with my son. Good memories!
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July 12, 2019 at 6:32 am
Great that paisley can evoke such happy and comforting memories, including even the softness of the cotton. I am now thinking back to other paisleys I have known and almost forgotten.
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July 12, 2019 at 3:57 am
So many memories come flooding back of hand-made pajamas from my childhood in similar leafy fabrics!
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July 12, 2019 at 5:05 am
What lovely memories to cherish. Paisley pajamas especially when handmade must assist in providing sweet dreams 🙂
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July 11, 2019 at 9:29 pm
I love the paisley shape and remember well all the fabrics from the hippie era.
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July 12, 2019 at 4:57 am
It is a lovely pattern and so versatile. I also like how it was adopted in the hippie era.
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