Tree of Life -Details

At an early stage of the Visvakarma commissions, the Tree of Life, historically renowned for its hand painted and resist-dyed qualities over preceding centuries, was transformed into a contemporary textile using block prints. Here, repeating blocks of the featured motifs were the primary compositional devices, ingeniously used, to simulate a large-scale flowering tree, creating an overall, hand-drawn quality. A specially handwoven textile, 90 inches in width, provided the base. A use of silk in place of the conventional cotton, was a common practice through the commissions, and lent them a sheen and quality which was considered relevant for their intended use as art works in luxury interiors. These experiments seeded the start of a new, commercially viable direction for the Tree of Life and related themes, which has continued into the present.

The squirrel depicted in the scene is shown in mid-air, bouncing between branches. This adds a sense of movement and energy to the scene, as the squirrel's dynamic movements draw the viewer's attention and create a lively and active atmosphere. The use of colour and detail in the squirrel's depiction adds to the overall impression of movement and adds to the overall visual appeal of the artwork.