Safeguarding the Indian Tradition of Woodblock Printing

In a restored 16th century haveli that matches the rest of Jaipur – the Pink City of India – a small museum strives to keep alive the Indian heritage of woodblock printing. A few minutes away from the touristic hustle of Amber marketplace, the Anokhi Museum of Hand Printing displays in its halls antique and modern examples of the craft. An array of colored and patterned fabrics hang airily in the museum, next to the carved woodblocks used to make the prints. 

In the halls, traditional artisans are invited to display their craftsmanship and artistic knowledge, passed down to them from previous generations of the family. Woodblock printing most likely did not originate on the Indian subcontinent but was rather picked up sometime between the 12th and 14th Centuries from the Chinese traders that traveled along the Silk Route. In India it collided with the local aesthetics and knowledge of natural dyes, transforming itself and becoming part of Indian culture. For centuries since master printers have been passing on to their kin the principles of the craft.

The printers begin the process by minutely carving the blocks of wood with chisels and knives, creating intricate designs inspired by nature or Mughal architecture. The blocks are then treated to an oil bath for up to three weeks, a process that avoids the colors seeping into the wood once dipped into the pigments. The dyes are concocted with natural ingredients – Indian mulberry, chay root, indigo shrubs. If the fabrics have been worked on with these plant-based dyes, you can smell the colors.

Different regions developed their own styles since colors depended on the quality of the available water and the patterns on the type of wood used for the blocks.

Dipped in the pigment, the block is repeatedly stamped again and again, with force, on the cotton or silks, moving sideways diligently after each impression. Each woodblock corresponds to one layer of color, so the artisan then passes with the next stamp, adding another level to the design. Once all layers of colors and details are complete, the cloth is washed to remove all excess pigments and hung up to dry, swaying in the humid South Asian heat.

Imperfection is an integral part of the design. The color filling of a flower’s petals might be slightly outside the contours and the spacing between the elements of the pattern might be somewhat uneven. This imperfection is seen as part of the beauty and humanity of the textiles, so much so that it has been integrated into the new technologies of screen printing. 

The Anokhi Museum cares especially about one type of visitor: artisans themselves. Technological advancements – which can create the same designs in considerably less time and with fewer expenses – have been tough competition for traditional master printers. The little museum wants to remind artisans about the artistry of the century-old process of hand block printing and the necessity to preserve and carry the heritage forward.