Sanganer Directory -Details

Around 700 different blocks were sourced from various printing workshops in Sanganer near Jaipur to create this directory. These are both foral and geometrical patterns. While the scalloped grid's outline is printed with Kharri, a thick paste — in a technique where the blocks are first used to print impressions of their patterns, over which gold foil is then applied — the patterns which are filled in the small compartments use synthetic dyes. This commission was inspired by a directory of over 1000 patterns in a late 18-th century printed sample from India, which is in the collection of the Textile Museum in Washington, D. C.

This panel features a selection of simple geometric and floral patterns. The visual appeal of the panel lies in the balanced composition and the use of tissue fabric, which allows for a diffused quality of line in the print. The metal weft of the fabric does not take the print impression, which helps to soften the harshness and rigidity of the geometric patterns. Overall, the panel showcases the skill and attention to detail of the craftsmen in creating visually appealing prints on delicate tissue fabric.