About the event
When: Thursday 20 February, 5pm to 8pm (last entry 7.30pm).
In our new display, ‘The Bigger Picture’, a woman in George Elgar Hicks’ painting ‘Dividend Day at the Bank of England’ can be seen wearing a patterned ‘Paisley’ shawl. But what are the origins of the pattern, and what is behind its enduring popularity on fashionable items of clothing?
As February’s Late falls on the first night of London Fashion Week, this month’s Late will focus on the ‘Paisley’ pattern, a design steeped in symbolism and history.
The event is free and drop-in, except for the talk and workshop which must be booked in advance.
Paisley watercolour workshops
Book tickets for one of our creative workshops with artist Brenda Coyle. The workshops explore the Paisley pattern’s origins and its symbolism through the medium of watercolour. The sessions are for adults and all levels of skill are welcome! The workshop is free, but booking is essential.
Talk – Paisley Shawls in George Hicks’ ‘Dividend Day at the Bank of England’
In a separate event taking place during the evening, we are delighted to host Dr Suchitra Choudhury, who will present a talk about her research surrounding Paisley Shawls in Victorian Britain.
About the talk
George Hicks grew up in a world in which oriental shawls were in fashion. While the expensive Kashmiri variety was imported from far-away India, ordinary women enjoyed wearing their cheaper imitation ‘Paisley’ shawls manufactured in Britain. Dr Choudhury’s talk will discuss the presentation of fashion in Hicks’s Dividend Day. Intriguingly, while the preliminary study of the painting depicts a woman resplendent in a red shawl, the bright accessory has disappeared in the finished version to make way for a darker, sombre hue. Is there a context of the British empire hidden in this transformation? Come and find out!
The talk is free, but booking is essential.
About the speaker
Dr Suchitra Choudhury is a Research Affiliate at the University of Glasgow. She has published widely on the cultural history of shawls. Her monograph, Textile Orientalisms: Cashmere and Paisley Shawls in British Literature and Culture was published by Ohio University Press in 2023. Interested in questions of decolonisation in art and literature, Suchitra’s research has been highlighted by the Victoria and Albert Museum (Dundee), Paisley Museum (Scotland), and Tate Britain. She is currently the 2025 President’s Fellow awarded by the British Association for Romantic Studies (BARS).
Can’t make the Late event but want to find out more about the ‘Paisley’ shawls?
We’re also running an online lunchtime talk with Paisley Museum on Thursday 27 February.
