Lineage Playing Cards
Visual Design
Inspired by Indian tiles.
LINEAGE is a modern playing card deck inspired by the wide and different tile traditions seen throughout India. From handcrafted flooring systems to ornate ceramic facades, the concept draws inspiration from architectural surfaces that have changed over time. The name LINEAGE refers to a continuous chain of visual inheritance in which patterns, techniques, and materials moved across regions and adapted to local cultures over time.
Spades:
Mughal Pietra Dura
Hearts:
Victorian Encaustic Tiles
Clubs:
Portugese Azulejo Tiles
Diamonds:
Athangudi Tiles
Craft, Adaptation, and Inheritance
Each suit in the LINEAGE collection is inspired by a particular tile tradition, documenting various kinds of cultural heritage and exchange throughout history. The deck depicts how craft evolved through artisans, empires, industries, and colonial influence, converting building surfaces into long-lasting visual systems.
Diamonds: Athangudi Tile
Inspired by handcrafted cement tiles from Tamil Nadu, which reflect generational artisan expertise passed down through local craft communities.
Clubs: Portuguese Azulejos
Blue-and-white porcelain tilework, imported through Portuguese colonial commerce, has had an impact on regional Indian architecture.
Hearts: Victorian Encaustic Tiles
Refers to industrial-era ornamental flooring systems introduced during British control, which represent mechanised manufacturing and decorative adaption.
Spades: Mughal Pietra Dura
Inspired by Mughal architecture's elaborate stone inlay craftsmanship, this design represents imperial creativity, precision, and elegant geometry.
A Record of Cultural Transmission
The deck explores how tile systems evolved by migration, trade, craftsmanship, and cultural interchange, rather than surviving as independent visual trends. Patterns changed due to trade routes, colonial influence, migration, and craftsmanship, resulting in multiple visual identities that are related to place and history. Rather than serving as a collection of references, LINEAGE sees these systems as interconnected forms of cultural propagation influenced by geography, materials, and time.
Next Project