A Cotton Textile Hanging (Kalamkari) Signed by Muhammad Kazim

The artwork given above is a piece of Kalamkari art produced by Muhammad Kazim, a famous Qalamkar (Artist specialized in Kalamkari) from the Qajar period in Iran. Kalamkari is an old art practice and part of tradition in Iran, shaped over ages by contact with other Asian countries through the famous and historical 'Silk Road'. As the name suggests, Kalamkari is a style of art usually done on a piece of cloth (mainly silk though cotton is also used) in which the artist adds pattern or design to the cloth manually by using a pen (qalam). It is used for creating decorated pillowcases, tablecloths, shawls as well as scarves. Before preparing a Kalamkari, the cloth which is to be used for the purpose is washed and rinsed, then patterns are drawn on it using a pen or pencil (in more recent times). After this, the parts which are not be coloured are covered in wax to prevent the colours from outflowing. After the wax dries, the cloth is dipped in natural dies made using minerals and plant parts. Finally, when the dyed cloth dried, the artwork is ready. The Kalamkari gained prominence during Safavid rule under the patronage of Shah Abbas the Great. The art regained its prominence after a long stretch of instability after the fall of Safavids, when Qajars came to power, marking a relatively stable period. However, unlike the highly intricate, rich designs of Safavid era, Kalamkari in the Qajar period drew more on common traditional motifs, such as Tree of life, floral patterns, Cypress Trees and depictions of Shia religious practices like the festival of Ashura which commemorates the martyrdom of Husayn in the Battle of Karbala as well the predominant themes from mythology and Iranian history. Under Qajar rule, a major addition to them was the inclusion of human figures. Yhe Qajar rule in Iran was a period marked by revival of Iranian pride, culture and identity which led to growing patronage to these traditional arts during this period and contributed to rise of artists such as Kazim. The piece of art above is a Kalamkari on cotton, depicting the famous Battle of Chaldiran with Safavid Shah Ismail shown as striking his adversary, the Ottoman Sultan, Selim. Though simple and light in colouring, it tries to capture a moving re-imagination of the actual event.

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