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    • NISHANT DANGE
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sonia2021-09-02T16:35:35-05:00

FROM MUD HUTS TO PAPER: THE STORY OF MADHUBANI PAINTING

Art can provide an important connection to our cultural heritage, and Indian art is simply rich in traditions that date back hundreds and thousands of years. One of the most popular traditional art forms is Madhubani painting, which claims roots in Indian mythology and takes its name from its geographic origin in northern Bihar.

Madhubani art — also known as Mithila art — is particularly special, with its unique use of local plants for colors, cow dung to treat the paper and bamboo sticks that serve as brushes, not to mention the beauty and simplicity of the paintings themselves. Here are more insights into the extraordinary history of traditional Madhubani painting and its fascinating process.

Mithila Art process detail
A Madhubani artist begins filling in her elaborate outline, a hallmark of this traditional art form.

Origin Of Traditional Madhubani (Mithila) Art

Centuries ago, women first made Madhubani paintings on the freshly plastered walls and floors of mud huts. While its exact origin is unknown, legend holds that King Janak, the ruler of the Mithila region in the 8th or 7th century BCE, requested this new form of painting to capture his daughter Sita’s wedding to Prince Rama, the central figure of the epic Ramayana.

This technique was then passed down for generations, and now Madhubani paintings are also made onto cloth, handmade paper and canvas. Although both men and women paint in this style today, Madhubani stands out as an art form historically developed and dominated by women.

 

Mithila Art - Rati Kamdev (the goddess and god of love) | Natural dyes on handmade paper | 30 x 22 inches
Rati Kamdev (the goddess and god of love), Natural dyes on handmade paper, 30 x 22 inches, available on commission basis.
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Main Themes in Madhubani (Mithila) Art
There are three main themes in Madhubani art: religion, social scenes and elements of nature.

  • Religion
    Hindu mythological figures and scenes from sacred texts are very common subjects, featuring popular deities like Radha and Krishna, Shiva, Ganesha, Saraswati and Laxmi.

 

Mithila Art – Doli (Bride in a palanquin) | Natural dyes on handmade paper | 11 x 30 inches
Doli (Bride in a palanquin), Natural dyes on handmade paper, 11 x 30 inches, available on commission basis.
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  • Social
    From harvests and markets to the royal court and children playing, Madhubani painting beautifully renders scenes from daily rural Indian life. Wedding ceremonies are especially sought-after, with messages of love and fertility.

 

Mithila Art | Contemporary Indian Artists | Giraffe family | Natural dyes on handmade paper | 11 x 15 inches
Giraffe family, Natural dyes on handmade paper, 11 x 15 inches, $ 1250 (framed).
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  • Nature
    The beauty and abundance of nature is an essential value of Madhubani paintings. Some of the most beloved images are the sun, the moon, birds and animals, the sacred Tulsi plant and Banyan trees.

 

Mithila process diagram
Madhubani paintings use only natural dyes, extracted from leaves and flowers.

 

How are the natural colors made?

Madhubani artists prepare their own paints and tools from natural, locally available materials. From extracting juice from flowers to fashioning brushes out of bamboo sticks, here are the basic steps of creating a Madhubani painting:

  • Before applying any paints, the paper is treated with cow dung to preserve the strong color of the natural pigments. Cow dung is also mixed with charcoal and water for drawing the black outline.

 

Mithila artist preparing surface 1
Cow dung helps preserve the all-natural pigments used in Madhubani painting.

 

  • Then, the artist uses a bamboo stick for the intricate black outline, which cannot be erased or changed once it is begun. This black outline covers the entire paper, leaving hardly any blank space.

 

Mithila process detail 3
The juice from Aparajita flowers is used to make blue color.

 

  • Finally, the artist manually prepares each color. Some common ingredients include the aparajita flower for blue, bougainvillea for pink, flat bean leaves for green, turmeric for yellow and rice powder for white.

 

The Uncertain Future of Madhubani (Mithila) Art

As the world modernizes and it becomes increasingly difficult for traditional artisans to make a living from their craft alone, many ancient forms of Indian art are at risk of disappearing altogether. Unfortunately, Madhubani painting is no exception. Indian folk artists need support from collectors around the world in order to continue their customs, and that’s exactly why traditional Indian art is an important aspect of Laasya Art’s collection. We hope to encourage a new generation of appreciation for Madhubani paintings.

To browse our curated collection of Madhubani (Mithila) paintings online, visit https://laasyaart.com/mithila-art. Please reach out to us at info@laasyaart.com or +1 650-770-9088 to view these traditional artworks in person at our gallery in Palo Alto (San Francisco Bay Area).

— Sonia Nayyar Patwardhan

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For more information or inquiries,
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Laasya Art gallery is known for contemporary Indian and tribal art. We work with a wide range of recognized Indian artists to offer original paintings, prints and other works for sale, as well as commissioned artwork. Paintings shown on the website are available to browse and buy online as well as to view in person at the gallery’s Palo Alto location. Art collectors come to Laasya Art gallery not only from nearby cities like Saratoga, Los Altos Hills, Menlo Park and Hillsborough within the San Francisco Bay Area but also from New York City, Seattle, Dallas, Houston and Chicago. If you are visiting Silicon Valley, we encourage you to stop by for an appointment- only tour to view our highly curated collection of original Indian art.

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