Posted on: 10 October 2010

John Forbes Watson - Victoria and Albert Museum

John Forbes Watson
Collections of the Textile Manufactures of India

His idea for 'portable industrial museums', led to the publication of The Collections of the Textile Manufactures of India in 1866, eighteen volumes of mounted and classified samples of Indian textiles containing seven hundred examples in all. The samples were mostly taken from Indian textiles shown at the 1855 Paris International Exhibition, but some came from previous Museum acquisitions; many of the remnants survive in the V&A's Asian textile collections.

More at :
http://www.vam.ac.uk/collections/asia/asia_features/indian_textiles/forbes_watson/index.html John Forbes Watson (1827-1892), Reporter for the Products of India at the India Office, London, began his career as a physician in the Bombay Medical Service. He became involved in the Indian sections of the international exhibitions from 1862 through his interest in the botany of India.


Comments from Facebook

Thanks to Sunny Naradmuni for suggesting this link.

I was very pleased to find some time ago, a revival of handmade textiles, along with other arts and crafts, in India. These were being promoted by a group dedicated to keeping these traditions alive. One family (can't remember their name off-hand) produce the most gorgeous silk textiles and carpets, which can be made to order with your own pattern if you wish. Simply gorgeous. :))