Madhubani Art and Painting is an ancient style of ethnic rural Indian painting that originated in Madhubani/Mithila. The Madhubani/Mithila region consists of parts of North Bihar and Southern Nepal.
Madhubani paintings can be traced to the time of the Ramayana. King Janak was the ruler of Videha and he ruled in Mithila. His daughter Sita was married to Lord Ram. Traditionally Madhubani paintings were painted on freshly plastered mud walls and on the floor. With the growing popularity of this ethnic art form, many new mediums like Canvas, Handmade Paper, Drapes, Wall Hangings, Saris, are being used.
A unique feature of Madhubani paintings is that it is mainly done by women. For centuries, the skill of this ancient art form has been handed down from mother to daughter.
Madhubani paintings are very distinctive and easy to spot. A typical Madhubani painting will have some/all of the features listed below:
They portray images and popular folklore of Hindu Gods and Goddesses, sights from everyday rural Indian life, scenes of nature - especially Animals, Trees, Flowers.
Earthy colors like Brown, Red, Yellow, Orange are frequently used. The paint is extracted from plants; for example yellow from turmeric, blue from indigo, brown from ochre.
Geometric designs are used extensively. Sometimes they form the crux of the painting; most times they are used in a supporting role to enhance the main figures in the painting.
There is typically NO shading in the painting.
Living figures (Gods, people, animals, birds...) have distinctive and large facial features like eyes, nose.
The border of the painting is clearly marked by 2-3 lines which have designs in them. These designs are usually geometrical.
Currently there are few Madhubani artists who are well known in art circles. Since it is mainly done by women in rural parts of India, the commercial aspects are not fully exploited. As its popularity grows, it may follow similar commercial business models of established painting schools.
Given the new found interest in India for Madhubani Paintings, there are art houses in the state of Bihar that hire village artists to mass produce Madhubani paintings. In this business model, promotion of the art house, rather than an individual artist, takes precedence. These art houses are partly responsible for the growing interest in this ethnic art form.
Some future changes in the way Madhubani paintings are marketed and sold, include the use of Online Auctions and Websites to sell these paintings. Individual painters will be promoted both online and via exhibitions. Since these paintings are mass produced, expect to see more of them in Indian cultural fairs, Indian ethnic craft shops, at tourist destinations, etc.
Madhubani paintings can be traced to the time of the Ramayana. King Janak was the ruler of Videha and he ruled in Mithila. His daughter Sita was married to Lord Ram. Traditionally Madhubani paintings were painted on freshly plastered mud walls and on the floor. With the growing popularity of this ethnic art form, many new mediums like Canvas, Handmade Paper, Drapes, Wall Hangings, Saris, are being used.
A unique feature of Madhubani paintings is that it is mainly done by women. For centuries, the skill of this ancient art form has been handed down from mother to daughter.
Madhubani paintings are very distinctive and easy to spot. A typical Madhubani painting will have some/all of the features listed below:
They portray images and popular folklore of Hindu Gods and Goddesses, sights from everyday rural Indian life, scenes of nature - especially Animals, Trees, Flowers.
Earthy colors like Brown, Red, Yellow, Orange are frequently used. The paint is extracted from plants; for example yellow from turmeric, blue from indigo, brown from ochre.
Geometric designs are used extensively. Sometimes they form the crux of the painting; most times they are used in a supporting role to enhance the main figures in the painting.
There is typically NO shading in the painting.
Living figures (Gods, people, animals, birds...) have distinctive and large facial features like eyes, nose.
The border of the painting is clearly marked by 2-3 lines which have designs in them. These designs are usually geometrical.
Currently there are few Madhubani artists who are well known in art circles. Since it is mainly done by women in rural parts of India, the commercial aspects are not fully exploited. As its popularity grows, it may follow similar commercial business models of established painting schools.
Given the new found interest in India for Madhubani Paintings, there are art houses in the state of Bihar that hire village artists to mass produce Madhubani paintings. In this business model, promotion of the art house, rather than an individual artist, takes precedence. These art houses are partly responsible for the growing interest in this ethnic art form.
Some future changes in the way Madhubani paintings are marketed and sold, include the use of Online Auctions and Websites to sell these paintings. Individual painters will be promoted both online and via exhibitions. Since these paintings are mass produced, expect to see more of them in Indian cultural fairs, Indian ethnic craft shops, at tourist destinations, etc.