Indian Textile Printing Block

Paisleys and starry flowers alternate over a field of tiny herringbone stripes.

This carved wood textile printing block is from Varanasi, India, and dates to the 20th century. Printing blocks are usually carved from a dense, fine-grained wood, because the design must hold sharp edges through many repeated impressions. Structurally, a compact, rectangular slab with a row of small heart-like motifs along both long edges. Vertical bands of herringbone texture hold two teardrop shapes and two round, spoked flowers. The surface is a dark, smooth black. It is 6 inches wide, 3 deep and 3 high.

Tidy and rhythmic, like a well-ironed shirt.