French artist’s vision of 19th-century Calcutta architectural gem comes full circle from Lyon loom to India
Telegraph | 24 February 2026
A breathtaking Jacquard tapestry depicting one of Calcutta’s architectural jewels is on display at the Alliance Française in the national capital this week as part of the France-India Year of Innovation.
The standout 200 x 700 cm gold-thread tapestry, called Palais d’Or – the Golden Palace, is by leading French contemporary artist Thomas Henriot.
He conceived the project in Calcutta, creating an intricate, large-scale ink drawing of the Basu Bati mansion, built in the late 19th century by the Basus, one of the city’s old prominent Bengali families. Now weathered and dilapidated, the structure, known for its Bengali Renaissance architecture, combines tall columns, high-ceilinged rooms and sweeping verandahs with traditional courtyards designed for extended family living. It was once a vibrant cultural and intellectual hub and a centre of Durga Puja celebrations.
Henriot’s work was translated into textile using cutting-edge weaving techniques. It has now returned to India, marking a full artistic circle.
“The exhibition reflects a meaningful circular exchange: conceived in India, developed in France, and presented again in India,” says Patricia Loison, director of the Alliance Francaise Delhi, one of the branches of France’s flagship cultural institute.
The presentation of the tapestry forms part of a solo exhibition by Henriot that includes a dozen of his other works depicting palaces of India. The show, tagged “Where Art Meets Innovation” in line with the French-Indian collaboration, runs until Friday. French President Emmanuel Macron was in India last week to inaugurate the bilateral initiative, which aims to boost cooperation in technology, science, culture and other fields.
The exhibition was the fruit of two years of research “to find out how to turn my ink and brush on paper painting into what was the best technology in terms of gold weaving,” Henriot says.
His ink drawing was digitised and translated into an advanced digital Jacquard weaving file to be produced in the western French city of Lyon at the workshop known as Soieries Brochier. The company is one of the last traditional silk makers in France preserving centuries-old craftsmanship.
Jacquard refers to a special type of loom that can weave detailed patterns directly into the fabric rather than printing them. When it was first invented in the 19th century, the looms used punch cards to control each thread individually. Now the looms are software-automated and design files are loaded into the loom’s control system, which then weaves the pattern.
By presenting Palais d’Or, Alliance Francaise is “connecting artistic practices, textile heritage and technological advancement between France and India,” says Loison.
In a remarkable feat, the seven-metre-long image was woven using a single piece of cloth. The meticulous weaving process retained the precision of the original drawing along with its rich brushstrokes. The resulting image feels three-dimensional. The colours are smoky black, streaked with gold threads. The tall shuttered windows are framed by columns, and nature has encroached, with creepers and foliage cascading thickly down the façade.
Henriot was born in Besançon in eastern France, a picturesque city that dates back to Roman times. He has led a nomadic artistic life, working in countries from Brazil and Cuba to China, and he has put down deep roots in India.
He first came to India at the age of 24. What began as a visit became an enduring relationship. Over the past two decades, he has returned repeatedly, describing India as a place he has “never finished exploring.” He says, “I felt drawn to India.”
Last year, Henriot, whose works are owned by private collectors around the world, was the only foreign artist invited to participate in Calcutta’s Durga Puja Art Festival, for which he created the tapestry.
Henriot has developed close artistic relationships in Calcutta, including the Basu Foundation for the Arts, led by Abhishek Basu, a descendant of Nandalal Bose, one of the country’s most influential modern artists. The foundation works to give artists in India and globally opportunities to show their work and connect with the wider creative community.
Known for his long ink drawings on Japanese paper, Henriot works outdoors, seated cross-legged. Deeply influenced by Chinese ink traditions and Indian artisanal cultures, he describes himself as a “channel”, responding to light and ambience.
Using brushes, water and Chinese ink, he paints directly without preparatory sketches. His lines are strong and sinewy. He is sometimes described as pulling out the “ribs” of a building, creating an almost anatomical representation.
“I want painting to be time itself. Something moving that stays with you. That is the magic,” he says. Black dominates the composition of his paintings, and he uses contrast and shadow to create his dramatic architectural representations.
That said, he introduces slashes of colour — gold, deep crimson, sharp greens and purples — from time to time.
“For me, black and white are colours. There’s no real difference. Sometimes I add colour to attract attention to something specific,” he says. The gold thread running through Palais d’Or, he adds, is a tribute to the Silk Route that once connected Europe and Asia, and to India’s own textile history.
“Darkness in my paintings is not sadness. It is intensity. It allows small lights to appear, signs of hope,” he says.