• This painting of Tree of Life is made with the help of wooden blocks and azo-free dyes.

• It comprises a tree that harbours the symbolic life and its inhabitants.

• The slendour trunks and boughs meander upward across a vast expanse along with smaller trees and shrubs

• An impossible largesse of blossoms fills its crown, hiding from view the numerous squirrels and birds amidst the foliage.

• For this panel, the non-repetitive elements such as the trunk and branches required painting by brush, but the floral and foliate forms were freely printed with blocks.

• With this panel, commenced a successful production of Tree of Life hangings that has endured to the present day.

• Over time, in fact, the composition of the trees, the quality of the print blocks, the intricacy of pattern details and the sophistication of colour have improved steadily.

• This painting is made by master artisan Mr Shaikh Mohd Hussain and his work is displayed at various art festivals all over the world

• Suggestion: This painting looks best when framed with glass. It can be framed without glass or used as a tapestry but kept in dust free environment since it is not washable

• Note: This is an unframed painting. This is a made-to-order painting and will be on a pre-order basis only. This painting will take around 15-20 days to be delivered.

Check other tabs for details about the painter and his wonderful story.

• Cash on delivery available
• Standard delivery on domestic orders within 8-10 working days
•  Free shipping on domestic orders above INR 2000
• Eligible for easy exchange and return (T&Cs apply)
• All purchases of sale items are final

Tree of LifeThis painting comprises:A tree rising in a classical manner, from a mound that harbours the symbolic life and its inhabitants. Flanked by smaller trees and shrubs, its slendour trunks and boughs meander upward across a vast expanse. An impossible largesse of blossoms fills its crown, hiding from view the numerous squirrels and birds amidst the foliage. Perched on high branches, rendered in colour, appear to pause for rest.For this panel, the non-repetitive elements such as the trunk and branches required painting by brush, but the floral and foliate forms were freely printed with blocks A subtle wave pattern, also printed with blocks, enriches the texture of the ground. In fact, the printing required over a hundred blocks, all of which were prepared in Bombay and a vast range of dyes. In the case of some colours, for instance, over a dozen different shades were used.This Panel was yet another attempt to capture the elusive splendour of the historic Tree of Life. Since there were technical difficulties in rendering the subject in its original dye painting technique, the craftsmen, in this case, tried out a different medium- fabric block prints with azo-free dyes. The transformation was also essential for the work to achieve commercial viability. In printing, it was possible, to achieve finer line work and brighter colours with a smaller investment of time and effort.The sheer scale of the exercise presented several problems. The artists found it impossible to visualize or determine the exact layout of the design prior to execution. And painting the trunks and branches with a brush occasionally resulted in an exaggerated or awkward turn. The rectangular format of this genre, moreover, awkwardly confined the natural spread of the tree and handling the edges of the composition where its foliage terminates, required special attention.With this panel commenced a successful production of Tree of Life hangings that has endured to the present day. Over time, in fact, the composition of the trees, the quality of the print blocks, the intricacy of pattern details and the sophistication of colour have improved steadily. The craftsmen have also explored other technical options such as the use of gold and silver pigments to enrich the print further.

• Mr Shaikh Mohd Hussain started his career in 1976 as a block printer in batik print
• He has done his education at night school
• He has gained experience in the field as a block printer, dyer, processor
• He was qualified for the post of block printing by the Ministry of Textiles- Weaver's Service Centre which comes under the regulation of the Central Government of India
• During his tenure he got a chance to work with renowned artists in different fields like Mr Gautam Wagela (an Indian artist), Mr Prabhakar Barwe (pioneer of modern Indian painting), Mr Martand Singh (Indian wildlife conservationist) and various other Fashion designers.
• In the year 2002, Mr Shaikh Mohd Hussain participated in Smithsonion Folklife Festival in Washington D.C showcasing his project work through Tree of Life and was selected by the authorities to display his project as well as to train the art students to represent the beauty of Fine Art of India
• He got great recognition for his contribution to the field of Arts.
• Presently, he has over 45 years of experience in the field of textile printing with the help of which he is designing and printing such unique products.