Gujarat Block Print

Red fabric with green paisley

This textile is a printed with carved blocks, using an ancient textile tradition in which artisans used hand-carved wooden blocks to repetitively stamp intricate patterns on fabric. Block printing, centered mostly in Rajasthan and Gujarat, is a highly precise craft utilizing natural dyes, resist-paste methods, and multi-generational techniques to produce unique, slow-made textiles.

This textile was purchased at Gamthiwala, in the Old City of Ahmedabad. Since 1958, Gamthiwala has produced authentic handcrafted block printed fabrics created by India's skilled National Award-winning artisans.

  • The Indian paisley, known as the buta or kairi, symbolizes life, eternity, and fertility. Its teardrop shape originally represented a growing seed, a cypress tree, or a raw mango. Deeply rooted in regional mythology, this historic motif continues to serve as an enduring cultural emblem in India.

 

  • Title: Gujarat Block Print

  • Date: 2007

  • Geography: Gujarat, India

  • Medium: Cotton

  • Dimensions: H. 40 in.  W. 40 in.

  • Provenance: Purchased at Gamthiwala in Ahmedabad, India

  • Inventory Number:  IN.03