Lost Arts of India!

|THE DEN|

Santhal Paintings

Santhal paintings have simple themes such as music, marriage, harvesting, and everyday rituals, but the artist's color and imagination bring the most mundane to life. The Santhal, dating back to the pre-Aryan era, are ancient, but their paintings are interestingly modern human figures. The figures are dramatic yet symmetrical and realistic.

The painters use handmade paper which is sometimes lined with cloth-based canvas. Originally, the Santhals used natural colors made from plants and stones, with a special and striking tinge.

The older generation still sticks to natural colors while the young opt for synthetic colors. Moreover, the color scheme holds no logic. A bird or a fish can be seen in many colors. Santhal paintings are exceptional, but unfortunately, they are becoming rarer.

Patta Chitra

Patta Chitra is an umbrella term for traditional cloth-based scroll painting. It is one of the ancient artworks of Orissa and West Bengal. In the Sanskrit language, “Patta” literally means “cloth” and “Chitra” means “image”. Patta Chitra has mythological narratives, which are explained using intricate details.

This art form is defined by its rich use of color, creative designs, motifs, and a combination of classical and folk elements. Painters use natural colors that are vegetable and mineral colors.

The brushes used by these "Chitrakaras" are also indigenous and are made from the hair of domestic animals. A bunch of hair tied to the end of a bamboo stick makes the brush. This beautiful art is now dying, although the government of Orissa has tried to take steps to conserve this art form.

Madhubani Paintings

Native to the Mithila region of Bihar, Madhubani painting is one of the most traditional forms of wall art. These paintings were discovered by British colonist William G. Archer during a survey of the "Madhubani Village" in 1934. Madhubani paintings were originally painted on the inside of the wall by the woman in the family.

The word Madubani means "Honey Forest". This art form expresses people's creativity and sensibility. Like other types of pop art, it also shows the psychology of the society to which it belongs.

It reflects the morals, values , and customs of the region in a very interesting way. These paintings are renowned for their intricate color patterns, iconic designs, and simplicity. Most of these paintings revolve around Indian mythology, including Hindu gods, nature, various gods, social gatherings, weddings, etc.

Gond Paintings

Characterized by a sense of belonging to nature, Gond painting is a traditional folk art style practiced by one of India's largest tribes, the Gond tribes from Maharashtra. It is also common in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, and Orissa. Gond paintings can also be called "on line art".

These paintings rely on the perfection of lines that give these paintings a sense of movement. Moreover, dots and dashes are added along with bold and vibrant colors. The paint is made from charcoal, colored soil, plant sap, leaves, and even cow dung.

Art consists of mythical stories, oral traditions, traditional songs, the natural environment, important events and rituals in very complex, rich details and bright colors. In fact, Gond paintings have been featured at exhibitions in many parts of the world.

Manjusha Paintings

Manjusha painting is the oldest form of painting art in India dating back to the 7th century. This form of art was born in Bhagalpur city, Bihar. The Sanskrit word "Manjusha" means a box. Manjusha art is a scroll and a line drawing which means it displays the stories in order.

It is intended to represent the cultural and religious heritage of Bihar. Manjusha paintings are widely known for their unique color palette of pink, green, and yellow.

This art flourished during the period of British rule in India. But in the middle of the 20th century, it began to decline. Fortunately, the Bihar government is working to revive this craft and patent it as a folk art of Bhagalpur.