Madhubani art

also: Mithila painting · Mithila art · Madhubani painting

tradition Ancient origins, ongoing Mithila (Bihar, India) Nepal

Madhubani art, also known as Mithila painting, is the women's painting tradition of the Mithila region of Bihar in India and across the border in Nepal, named after the Madhubani district where it remains most active. Traditionally it covered the freshly plastered mud walls and floors of village houses for births, marriages and festivals such as Holi and Durga Puja, painted with natural pigments - vermilion, lampblack, turmeric, indigo - and applied with fingers, twigs and bamboo slivers. Its flat, two-dimensional figures are built from bold line and dense geometric pattern, every field filled. Skills passed from mother to daughter for centuries. After the drought of 1966-67, craft officials sent artists from Mumbai to the region, and the tradition moved onto paper and canvas - reaching museums and galleries worldwide and gaining Geographical Indication status.

Mithila Painting with the Ten Mahavidyas,Siva and Sakti, with Serpent Coiled Shri Yantra painted in Nepal
Mithila Painting with the Ten Mahavidyas,Siva and Sakti, with Serpent Coiled Shri Yantra painted in NepalCC BY-SA 3.0 (credit: toyin adepoju) · source

Defining characteristics

  • Bold geometric patterns and dense all-over ornament - no empty space left unfilled
  • Flat two-dimensional figures with large almond eyes and long pointed noses, no shading or perspective
  • Natural pigments applied with fingers, twigs, bamboo slivers and matchsticks
  • Nature and epic motifs: sun and moon, lotus, fish, parrots, gods and wedding scenes
  • Ritual occasion content: paintings for births, marriages and festivals like Holi and Durga Puja

Key figures

  • Jagdamba Devi (1901-1984) — Pioneer who moved Mithila painting from mud walls to paper; first Padma Shri, 1975
  • Mahasundari Devi (1922-2013) — Ranti village painter who founded a cooperative for the region's artists
  • Baua Devi (fl. 1966-present) — Of the first group painting on paper; National Award 1984, Padma Shri 2017

Sources

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