We are pleased to announce the winner of the R.L. Shep Memorial Book Award 2022, Sylvia Houghteling’s The Art of Cloth in Mughal India.
This book documents the great arts of making and using textiles immersed in a culture of beauty and art in the Mughal period of India. The author draws from little-known archival materials as well as a long history of the textile production in India to engage in a sensitive and nuanced presentation. In what she refers to as ‘landscapes of cloth’ Houghteling describes, in incredible detail, the ways in which the making, using, gifting, and wearing of special textiles clothe the body, forming an aesthetic and sensory experience, while integrally forming part of the body politic of the Mughal court. Literally covering the floors, walls and ceilings, the textiles represent an astounding feat, integrating architecture, dress and fashion as value systems at the core of the empire.
The R. L. Shep Memorial Book Award is now in its twenty-third year and the number of nominated books has grown substantially in recent award cycles. The guidelines for the award define the category of studies and task the judges with selecting books that excel equally in field-advancing scholarship and in broad popular appeal. These requirements were set out deliberately with the goal of bringing the broadest possible public attention not only to the books themselves but also to the work and the interests of TSA. This year the cohort of nominated books was quite diverse, with each book manifesting qualities of interest to our textile community.
To read about all the books on this year’s shortlist, please use the button below.
Your Support Makes TSA Awards Possible! Please consider contributing to textiles scholarship and financial awards. Your donations support the work of TSA members and our extended textile communities.
You must be logged in to post a comment.