Masters of the Cloth: Indian Textiles Traded to Distant Shores, TAPI Collection

Published to coincide with the exhibition of the same name in the National Museum, Delhi, this catalogue showcases a rare selection of Indian cloths, hardly known in the country of their origin but coveted in distant markets in the East and West. It introduces the reader to the astonishing diversity and history of these trade cloths and the remarkable ingenuity and skill of their makers. Recreating the glory of Indian textiles from the 14th to 19th century.

Fortunately, Indian textiles traded overseas centuries ago did survive in other lands. “Masters of the Cloth - Indian Textiles Traded to Distant Shores” is an attempt to present the story of cloths that journeyed beyond our shores, both east and west, to become part of another culture, bearing witness to a past forgotten in its own homeland.

This exhibition of ‘Trade Textiles’ will bring to Indian viewers the surprising diversity and history of our patterned cloths, reflecting the ingenuity of our tradesmen, entrepreneurs, middle-men and most of all, our imaginative textile dyers, printers, weavers and embroiderers to respond to the needs of distant markets, each with their own preference and taste.