Paintings
¤ Cave Paintings
Bhimbetka and Pachmarhi Designes
The Pre-historic paintings in the cave shelters of Bhimbetka and
Pachmarhi are simple designs showing scenes of hunting, farming and
dancing against mottled rock and were initially done in black or earth
colors. The palette soon expanded to include white, red, yellow, blue
and green. This progression can clearly be seen in the wall art of
Bhimbetka.
The tradition of painting living spaces continued well into the 20th
century till it was finally overtaken by the Western practice of
painting walls a boring old pastel. Art slowly began to jump off the
walls and on to palm leaves, wood blocks, cloth and ivory. As you read
up more about painting in India, you’ll find that it was entirely
dependent on religious and royal patronage. This is perhaps why ‘art’
became a big thing only during the reign of the Mughals. The Delhi
Sultanate was too philistine to understand anything but the language
of the sword. They probably thought heads impaled on spears were the
best exhibit money could buy.
The kinds of paintings you are likely to encounter in India are:
Alpana
(Bengal), kolam (South India), rangoli (Maharashtra), osa (Orissa),
aripana (Bihar), sona rakhna (Uttar Pradesh), sathiya (Gujarat) are
all names for auspicious, multi-colored floor decorations made by
Hindus all over the country. Usually drawn at the doorway of a home,
they can be geometric or floral and are done afresh every morning.
Kalamkari
The technique of painting cloth with a pointed bamboo kalam or pen,
Kalamkari is almost an industry in Andhra Pradesh. Black outlines of
the pattern are painted onto the cloth which is then given other
colors like yellow, blue and green. Motifs may range from traditional
(Hindu deities, the sun, flowers) to present-day (Biblical, even
corporate logos). However, most of the Kalamkari work you see today is
a mix of printed and pen work and is generally aimed at the home
furnishing market.
Mandana
Auspicious wall paintings of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, mandanas
are meant to protect the home and hearth as well as to welcome gods
into the house. Mud and cow dung are usually plastered on the walls
which are then painted white. The women of the house paint symbols
like the swastika, the sun or the tree of life in black and red.
Madhubani
Traditionally painted on walls and floors by the women of Bihar to
invoke divine protection, the humble Madhubani has come a long way.
Scenes from Hindu epics, fertility symbols, auspicious birds and
beasts are daubed on walls with the paste of newly harvested rice. In
recent times, however, Madhubani artists have been selling their work
commercially by putting paper, pen and colors to good use. Full of
intense energy and bright colors, they are extremely popular with
foreign tourists.
¤ Mughal & Rajput Miniatures
Fierce camel fights; bejeweled women; the blood and gore of a tiger
hunt; the amorous dalliances of Rajput princes and the pomp and
ceremony of the Mughal court – miniatures unabashedly celebrate
every aspect of life. Most of them use natural colors derived from
insects, shells, minerals, vegetable matter as well as silver and gold
leaf. Using the finest squirrel hairbrushes, it takes a miniaturist
weeks to complete a commission. The artist’s lack of originality –
most of them merely replicate the work of their forefathers – is
more than compensated for by their breathtakingly precise and detailed
workmanship. Jaipur, Udaipur, Bikaner in Rajasthan; Chamba and Kangra
in Himachal Pradesh; and Delhi are some of the most happening centers
of miniature art.
Phad
A phad is a long rectangular cloth painting that tells of the
adventures and travails of some local or epic hero. They have been
used for centuries as a backdrop by bhopas or the bards of Rajasthan
who go from village to village singing about the exploits of legendary
heroes. Usually about five metres by one and a half metres in size,
the phad is painted in bold colors and is rolled on two shafts of
bamboo, thus making it easy to carry.
Pichvai
The pichvai (literally, ‘something at the back’) unfolds
scenes from the life of the Hindu deity Lord Krishna and is used as a
backdrop for his idol at the Nathdwara Temple, near Udaipur,
Rajasthan. Like many other forms of painting, the pichvai too has made
its transition from the religious to the secular – they make
colorful decorative hangings in urban homes.
¤ Thanjavur Paintings
Highly ornate paintings from down South (Thanjavur and Tiruchirapalli
in Tamil Nadu), Thanjavur paintings flourished under the reign of the
Maratha kings. They usually depict the plump and mischievous baby
Balkrishna and rely on intricate gesso (plaster of Paris mixed with
glue applied to a surface and then painted or gilded), gold leaf and
jewel work on wood to catch the buyer’s eye.
¤ Warli Paintings
These are the tribal paintings of Maharashtra and are traditionally
done in the homes of the Warlis. Painted white on mud walls, they are
pretty close to prehistoric cave paintings in execution and usually
depict sowing and harvesting scenes. Originally made with rice paste,
they were turned into a marketable commodity when the India
Handicrafts and Handlooms Board provided the poor Warlis with brown
paper and white paint. |
