Iran artisans decorate textiles to perfection

'Qalamkari' or block printing on textiles is an ancient Iranian art that stretches all the way back to the Safavid era.

This form of art reached its peak during Shah Abbas's reign and remained popular till the Qajar period.

Most men's and women's clothes in these periods were produced from fabrics decorated with this form of art.

The block-printed fabric used was generally made of cotton and linen, on which patterns were depicted with a brush, mold, or stamp.

Here are some photos showing artisans practicing this marvelous art form in the Iranian city of Isfahan.

AG/AG