Painting - Artwork - Painting, Lord Krishna marrying Radha (Madhubani Art), c2014

Historical information

Madhubani art or Mithila painting was traditionally created by the women of various communities in Mithila region of the Indian subcontinent. It originated from Madhubani district of Mithila region of Bihar, and, it is popularly called Mithila painting or Madhubani art. Madhubani is also a major export centre of these paintings. This painting as a form of wall art was practiced widely throughout the region; the more recent development of painting on paper and canvas mainly originated among the villages around Madhubani, and it is these latter developments led to the name Madhubani art being used alongside the name "Mithila Painting." The painting was traditionally done on freshly plastered mud walls and floors of huts, but now they are also done on cloth, handmade paper and canvas.[3] Madhubani paintings are made from the paste of powdered rice. Madhubani painting has remained confined to a compact geographical area and the skills have been passed on through centuries, the content and the style have largely remained the same. Madhubani paintings also use two-dimensional imagery, and the colors used are derived from plants. Ochre and lampblack are also used for reddish brown and black respectively. Generally, no space is left empty; the gaps are filled by paintings of flowers, animals, birds, and even geometric designs.(wikipedia)

Physical description

Framed traditional Hindu story painted onto textile.

Back to top