In this lecture, Amélie Couvrat Desvergnes will share the findings of two research projects exploring a group of Pahari drawings (from present-day Himachal Pradesh) and Kashmiri manuscripts held in French and Dutch collections. Through close visual analysis, fiber identification, and historical research, these studies traced the origins, materials, and techniques used to produce paper in northwestern India. Many of these artworks and manuscripts were created on paper made in Sialkot (now in Pakistan) and Srinagar (in Indian Kashmir), where papermaking traditions were introduced from the 15th century onward. While rooted in this broader tradition, Sialkoti and Kashmiri papers developed distinct characteristics, which will be examined in the lecture.
The talk will also highlight the contribution of paper conservators, whose material expertise can reveal new layers of meaning in well-studied historical objects. Additionally, it will underscore the enduring value of Dard Hunter’s legacy: his photographs, essays, and paper samples—collected during fieldwork—played a vital role in both projects. Institutions such as the Robert C. Williams Museum of Papermaking remain essential resources for researchers, offering rich material that supports deeper understanding of global papermaking traditions.

Registration: Register through the constant contact link. Please email anna.doll@rbi.gatech.edu for questions or more information.

About the Speaker: Amélie Couvrat Desvergnes is a book and paper conservator specializing in Islamic and South Asian manuscripts and works on paper. She has worked in France, Qatar, and the Netherlands, where she is currently based. Throughout her career, she has developed extensive expertise in the papermaking traditions of the Islamic world, grounded in both academic research and the direct study of manuscripts and other paper artifacts.
Her work has focused particularly on the history and techniques of papermaking in Iran and South Asia, leading her to develop a methodology for the study of non-European handmade papers. Recently, she has led several research projects on South Asian papers, from Kashmir to the Deccan. Through the close examination of drawings and manuscripts, she seeks to deepen our understanding of the production, technical characteristics, and social uses of handmade paper across the Indian subcontinent.