Mangal Murti
Details
Artform
Traditional Kalighat Art, Bengal
Artist
Anwar Chitrakar
Dimensions
22 x 28 In.
Medium
Natural Stone Pigment on Handmade Sheet
Framing
Unframed
Learn More
The Painting
The Kalighat painting style originated in the early 19th century as a form of temple painting and though it has taken on varied topics over time, the core focus on depicting deities has not waned. In this painting, National Award winning artist Anwar Chitrakar has depicted child Lord Ganesha. Here Lord Ganesha is seen in the traditional Kalighat style with a flat perspective, dark black lines creating the forms and with elongated eyes that draw the viewer inexorably into the composition. The pale color of the background and the minimalism of the painting makes the deity who sits serenely at the centre of the composition, the focus of the painting.
The Artform
"Emerging from the 19th-century Calcutta, Kalighat painting originated near the Kalighat Temple dedicated to the goddess Kali. This art form reflects the dynamic cultural milieu of colonial India and unlike the intricate miniatures of earlier times embraces a simplified and more direct approach, utilising bold lines, vibrant colors, and a touch of caricature to portray a wide range of subjects. Using a limited color palette consisting mainly of vibrant earth tones and bold contrasts, these paintings often depict mythological figures, deities, scenes from daily life, and even social critiques. The style is marked by its expressive yet economical brushwork, lending a certain immediacy to the compositions. "
The Artist
"""Born in 1980, Anwar Chitrakar is a Patua artist with an artistic lineage that stretches back to his father, Amar Chitrakar, who instilled in him the time-honoured techniques of the Kalighat painting style. Hailing from West Bengal, Anwar is part of a small community of Patuas, village artists who craft vertical scroll paintings. These scrolls depict tales of Indian gods and goddesses, mythological figures, and narratives like those of Krishna and Rama. Unlike his fellow Patua artists, he embraced painting professionally at the age of twenty, having previously worked as a tailor due to the limited commercial prospects for folk painters. His late start prompted a desire for innovation, leading him to infuse tradition with his secular and sartorial touch. He melds natural pigments, such as turmeric and marigold, with modern elements, even signing his artworks—a rarity among Patua artists. Apart from the classic cloth-paper scroll, he has also ventured into contemporary mediums like canvas, British paper, and Italian paper. He has participated in several exhibitions both in India and abroad, such as the Berlin Festival 2012, Namaste India Festival Japan 2012, Devi Art Foundation’s “Vernacular in the Contemporary”, and others. His paintings are part of the collection at the prestigious Victoria and Albert Museum, London, the Mumbai International Airport, and many important private collections. Anwar Chitrakar won the West Bengal State Award in 2002, the National Award in 2006, and the President’s Award amongst others. The artist resides and works in his village in West Bengal. """
Provenance
The painting has been created by Bridge Bharat’s master artist partners.
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Other details
"The price you see is for an unframed painting. If you want us to custom frame the artwork, please drop us a message. We highly encourage this, framing is an art by itself :) The artwork you will receive is as close to the original artwork as possible but as with all things handmade, there may be minute differences in color and motifs, truly rendering each artwork one of a kind. Trust the process! "