Palais d'Or: A ‘Golden’ Exhibition Celebrates India, France And Shared Artistic Legacies

Alliance Française de Delhi opened Palais d’Or (Golden palaces), a solo exhibition by French contemporary artist Thomas Henriot, as part of the French-Indian Year of Innovation 2026. The exhibition, showcased between February 20 to 28, displayed works done in one of the most unique styles—as tapestries of great Indian monuments such as the Ghats of Varanasi, to the stepwells (baolis) of Rajasthan. Henriot’s paintings were essentially transformed into monumental gold-thread tapestries in France using an advanced Jacquard weaving technique developed by Les Soieries Brochier. Henriot painted the Indian monuments on site during his visits.

Tracing a journey of ideas, materials and craftsmanship across geographies, the exhibition reflects a meaningful circular exchange—conceived in India, developed in France and presented again in India. It highlights innovation not as a rupture from tradition, but as its continuation and transformation through contemporary processes.

The exhibition is then, in many ways, an amalgamation. It is a combination of different and intricate styles of art and artistry, a coalescence of several forms and most importantly, a union of India and France’s visual relations. The works are also a testament to the fact that art, when promoted, nurtured and given time, has the ability to create something unprecedented in an awe-inspiring manner.

Henriot was delighted to see the works come to life and be presented in a grand manner. "This exhibition represents two years of research into translating my ink and brush drawings on paper to works produced through advanced gold-weaving technology. Palaces and historic sites, from Calcutta to Rajasthan, including Jodhpur and Jaipur, were initially drawn on site and subsequently reinterpreted through this technological process,” he told Outlook.

Produced in collaboration with Soieries Brochier in Villeurbanne, an atelier continuing the city of Lyon’s silk weaving tradition dating back to the 16th century, the works reinterpret historic craftsmanship through cutting edge textile technology, offering visitors an immersive artistic textile experience.

Henriot added that it was “magnificent” to have showcased his works in Delhi and that “this was just the beginning”.

Among the grandeur and intricacy of all the works, there is still one that stands out which is the Basubati Palace. The monumental Basubati Palace Jacquard was woven on what is arguably the most advanced loom inthe world. Since the invention of the first Jacquard loom, no pattern of this magnitude had ever been achieved. This marked a true first and a remarkable technical feat, which was the result of two years of research and development via a custom programming designed by Brochier’s team of engineers.

The loom, which is 3.30 meters wide, is topped by a 6-ton "brain"—a cutting-edge device that can lift each of the 12,230 warp threads separately. This is an incredible feat because threads are typically handled in groups. Because of this independent control, the design can change at each warp and weft intersection, creating incredibly fine "pixels" and remarkable definition.

Apart from the Brochier House, Henriot was all praise and gratitude for Abhishek Basu and the Basu Foundation for Arts, Kolkata, as much of the pieces were developed and conceptualised during his residencies with them. “They have supported my work since the last 15 years in India and all over the world. They invited me in very long-residency programs in Kolkata and Delhi to make this project come true,” Henriot said.

According to the exhibition’s curator Tuba Ali, "Palais d’Or explores the concept of translation, from drawing to thread, from gesture to textile code and from architectural monumentality to the movement of woven material. In doing so, the exhibition reflects Alliance Française de Delhi’s vision of innovation as a continuation of shared cultural histories between France and India.”

Palais d’Or will remain a remarkable exhibit not just for the novelty of the works, but also the scale, intricacy, and richness of craft, which will make you stay.