Copies of Watson's collections were sent to art schools and trade locations across Britain. While he admired Indian aesthetics, Watson was driven by British commercial interests.
John Forbes Watson was a Scottish physician and a significant figure in the study and documentation of Indian textiles. Born in Scotland in 1827 to Aberdeenshire farmer George Watson and Jean McHardy, Watson pursued his education at the University of Aberdeen, earning his MA in 1847 and MD in August 1847, before completing his medical studies at Guy's Hospital in London and in Paris.
In August 1850, Watson joined the Bombay Army Medical Service as an assistant surgeon. He served with the artillery at Ahmednagar and the Scinde horse at Khangarh (Jacobabad). Later, he became the assistant surgeon at Jamsetjee Hospital and a lecturer on physiology at Grant Medical College, where he also briefly acted as professor of medicine and lecturer on clinical medicine.
Due to illness, Watson returned to England in 1853 and spent time at the School of Mines in London's Jermyn Street. The East India Company then appointed him to investigate the food grains of India. In 1858, he became the reporter on the products of India and director of the India Museum, positions he held until the museum's transfer to South Kensington at the end of 1879.
In 1874, Watson proposed the establishment of an Indian museum and library, along with an Indian institute, where candidates for the civil service could pursue oriental studies. His proposal, supported by the Royal Colonial Institute, contributed to the establishment of the Imperial Institute. Watson represented India at several international exhibitions, including the 1862 International Exhibition in London, the 1867 International Exposition in Paris, and the 1873 Vienna World's Fair.
Watson's most notable contribution was his extensive work on Indian textiles. His 18-volume series, "The Collections of the Textile Manufactures of India," first published in 1866, remains a testament to the diversity and originality of Indian textiles. The series included 700 textile samples representative of Indian artisanship from various regions of the subcontinent.
Watson approached the study of textiles not as mere artifacts but as items of utility and commerce. He believed that British students and manufacturers should study and replicate Indian tastes, especially in matters of ornamentation. He advocated for British manufacturers to understand how the design would appear in a draped saree.
Copies of Watson's collections were sent to art schools and trade locations across Britain. While he admired Indian aesthetics, Watson was driven by British commercial interests. He supplied mills in Liverpool and Manchester with the samples needed to replicate Indian textile designs. Consequently, cheap, mass-produced British replicas flooded the Indian market, leading to a decline in Indian handlooms. This had a devastating impact on Indian artisanal cultures, which had developed and perfected intricate weaving techniques over centuries.
The destruction of India's material history was an ironic outcome of Watson's catalogues, which have now become key sources of insight for textile historians and craft revivalists. Watson's work highlights the rich heritage of Indian textiles and serves as a reminder of the cultural and economic shifts brought about by colonialism.
Watson retired from the India Office in 1880 and passed away at Upper Norwood on July 29, 1892.
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 "John Forbes Watson")
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