File:Jamawar Shawl.tif

English: In the early years of Mughal rule, India turned to Persia for artistic guidance, encouraging the emigration of Persian artisans who brought with them the sensibilities of the Safavid court. Nevertheless, Indian weaving evolved separate styles and techniques that came to rival those of Persia. The textile arts were given great impetus under the Mughal rulers Akbar (ruled 1556–1605), Jahangir (ruled 1605–27), and Shah Jahan (ruled 1627–58), whose imperial ateliers produced shawls and sashes prized both in India and abroad. This shawl, a masterwork of design and technique, features a dense network of flowers compacted within narrow bands of red, white, and black. The geometricized blossoms, flattened and made angular by the twill tapestry weave, brilliantly tile the cloth’s surface, successfully integrating the fabric’s structure with its ornament. (copied from Yale University Art Gallery)