Fine Painting of Dancing Radha Krishna with Gopis

$135

Patachitra art is originated from the beautiful art culture of Orissa and is painted on a piece of fine new white cloth which is clean, having no fringes and is devoid of any strings. The canvas of cloth used for such a kind of painting has to go through various stages of finishing before it is ready to be painted. The painting that you see on this page is a perfect example of Pata art as it depicts Radha and Krishna performing their blissful dance on a flattened lotus along with the two gopis experiencing this wondrous sight in complete amazement and joy. Patachitra is characterized by the depiction of mythological narratives and folktales, pigmented in major primary colors of red, white, yellow, black and blue, as colors express the quality of the deity.

As shown here, in a traditional Patachitra, Radha is painted in a yellow shade and Lord Krishna in blue; they stand with one leg each on the lotus and the other is intertwined at a 90 degree angle with Krishna’s left hand around his beloved’s neck and the other holds a bansuri while Radha’s hands are postured gracefully in a dancing mudra. In an Orissan patta art, most of the figures are done in a uniform manner having long beak like noses, prominent chin and elongated eyes reaching upto the ears. Rabi Behra has amazingly depicted the infinite beauty of the love of Krishna and Radha in this colorful art.

Radha is adorned in an elegant red silk sari having yellow colored circular motifs and bhagwan Krishna wears a patterned yellow dhoti having a contrasting white kamarband along with an uttariya (long scarf) that goes behind the neck and comes over his shoulders to fall down to the thighs and a long garland of white flowers around the deities’ neck; both the gopis are clothed in beautifully designed attires in pink and green and hold a bowl of prasadam, as an offering to the divine couple. It is an iconic aspect of every pata painting that the figures are loaded with jewels all over their body, such as here, both Krishna and Radha are embellished in traditionally designed anklets, armlets, waistband, necklaces, kundala and rings and a pana-patra crown glorifying Krishna’s head.

In an Orissan Pattachitra, there is a little scope for background, however depiction of sea or river is inevitable for paintings where Krishna stands near the Yamuna bank. The sea is painted here in dark with white wavy lines and the love of two white cranes depicts the soulful bond of the deities. Every empty space in water is filled with colorful lotus flowers and the twilight sky has bilva trees swinging fresh. The three layered floral border enhances the grace and aesthetics of this painting. Having this art on your house walls or worship places will glorify the entire area with its spirituality and colorful aesthetics.

Item Code: PY68
Artist: Rabi Behera
Specifications:
Water Color Painting on Patti, Folk Art From The Temple Town Puri (Orissa) Artist: Rabi Behra
Dimensions 9.8 inch X 15.3 inch
Handmade
Handmade
Free delivery
Free delivery
Fully insured
Fully insured
100% Made in India
100% Made in India
Fair trade
Fair trade

Mastering the Ancient Technique: Exploring the Meticulous Creation of Pattachitra Paintings

The traditional Pattachitra is a scroll painting that is done on cloth. This is revealed in the name; Pattachitra is a Sanskrit term made from two words i.e. Patta meaning cloth and Chitra meaning picture. The main subject of this painting is portraying Hindu mythological narratives, scenes from religious texts, and folktales. Pattachitra paintings are especially practiced in eastern Indian states such as West Bengal and Odisha, and also in some parts of Bangladesh. This art form is closely related to Shri Jagannath and the tradition of the Vaishnava sect. It is believed that Pattachitra art originated in the 11th century and the people of Odisha practice it even today without any discrepancy. Bengalis use these scroll paintings for ritual purposes (as a visual device) during the performance of a song or Aarti.
Pattachitra paintings are characterized by creative and traditional motifs/designs, decorative borders, and bright colorful applications. The outline of the figure and motifs are bold and sharp. Some common shapes and motifs seen in these paintings are trees, flowers, leaves, elephants, and other creatures. The artists of Odisha and Bengal still use the traditional method of painting which gives a unique look to it altogether.

1. Canvas is prepared

The process of painting a Pattachitra begins by preparing the canvas (patta). Generally, cotton cloth is used for making the canvas. The local artists dip the cotton cloth in a mixture of tamarind seeds and water for a few days. The cloth is then taken out and dried in the sun. Now natural gum is applied over it to stick another layer of cotton cloth on it. Thus a thick layer of cotton cloth is formed. This layered cotton is sun-dried and a paste of chalk powder, tamarind, and gum is applied on both sides. The surface of the cloth is then rubbed with two different stones for smoothening and it is again dried. This process gives the cloth a leathery finish and it is now ready to be painted.
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2. Natural colors are made using traditional method

The painters prepare and use vegetable and mineral colors for application in the painting. White color is made from conch shells, black is made by burning coconut shells, Hingula is used for red color, Ramaraja for blue, and Haritala for yellow.
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3. Colors are filled in

The artist now makes a double-lined border on all four sides of the canvas. The local artists are so expert in painting that they do not draw figures and motifs with pencil but directly draw them with a brush. The paint brushes that the painters use are made of the hair of domestic animals, a bunch of which is tied to the end of a bamboo stick. The figures are now painted with natural colors using the indigenous brushes. The outline is thickened with black color.
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4. Painting is given a finishing

Finally, the painting is varnished/glazed to protect it from any damage and to get a glossy shine on the surface.

The making of a Pattachitra is laborious work and therefore, one painting may sometimes take over a month to complete. Due to their classical look, these paintings are admired by people from all over the world. The artistic skills used in Pattachitra are passed down from one generation to another and thus are preserved to date.
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