Drawings from an Indian Cotton-Printer s Pattern Book
COLOURED DRAWINGS ON MUSLIN
magazine, of no less vital importance: So its
readers may find the reproductions here given of
the work of an Indian
nuqqdsh or designer, dat-
ing probably from the
middle of the 18th cen-
tury, of some interest, for
if not of very great artistic
importance, they are cer-
tainly good examples of
Indian treatment of plant
forms and authentic work-
ing drawings.
It is possible that this
unnamed designer con-
fined himself to working
for cotton printers; but
from what I know of the
craft and its traditions, I
think this unlikely. Obvi-
ously one facile draughts-
man could keep a legion
of block-cutters at work,
and it is equally clear
that the skill shown in the designs reproduced in
colour is capable of a wider range of subject,
MONOCHROME DRAWINGS ON MUSLIN
*93
COLOURED DRAWINGS ON MUSLIN
magazine, of no less vital importance: So its
readers may find the reproductions here given of
the work of an Indian
nuqqdsh or designer, dat-
ing probably from the
middle of the 18th cen-
tury, of some interest, for
if not of very great artistic
importance, they are cer-
tainly good examples of
Indian treatment of plant
forms and authentic work-
ing drawings.
It is possible that this
unnamed designer con-
fined himself to working
for cotton printers; but
from what I know of the
craft and its traditions, I
think this unlikely. Obvi-
ously one facile draughts-
man could keep a legion
of block-cutters at work,
and it is equally clear
that the skill shown in the designs reproduced in
colour is capable of a wider range of subject,
MONOCHROME DRAWINGS ON MUSLIN
*93