Ghalamkari (hand-printed textile)

Watching colorful painted pieces of cloth, makes you amaze how they are wonderfully ingenuous. Different designs and themes can hold your hand and take you to the world of art. They can plants flowers, animals, historical events, miniature, musicians, dancers, hunting scenes, traditional gyms (zoorkhaneh) and old Iranian literature stories and historical events. The main colors are black, blue, red, green and yellow and the other colors are made by combination of these. All colors are natural, for example, red is made by red flower or yellow by pomegranate peels. 

Ghalamkari is defined as the art of designing and painting on cloth, the word ‘ghalam’ means pen in Persian as they can create marvelous designs with a pen. Its history is even older than the Persian carpet and the layout on carpets has been derived from Ghalamkari, they are also similar to tiles, woodcarving, and plaster.

In fact, Ghamkari began to arise in Iran since mongols conquered Persia. Mongol kings were interested in importing Chinese printed cloths, so Iranian artists started to compete and innovated this astonishing art. In Safavid time, the art hit its peak especially among courtiers who used to wear a type of Ghalamkari which also was gilded. Isfahan was the capital city of Iran in that time and that is why Naqshe jahan square in Isfahan is the center of this art until now. These days, they work on it in Tabriz, Rasht, Kashan And Mashhad too.

As it became very popular, the artisans decided to find a solution to increase the production. Therefore, instead of drawing, they made large wooden stamps. They draw the shapes on a paper and transfer it on a piece of wood, then carve it to make shapes clear and high relief. The wood is usually from pear or hawthorn tree so that it is softer and easier for carving. These stamps are dipped in the oil, time to time, so they stay proper to use.