Work in Progress
Kalighat Painting
2011 (painted)
2011 (painted)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Modern Kalighat patuas use the same techniques of painting as the 19th century patuas did. This painting from Anwar Chitrakar shows us the process he uses to create a Kalighat painting. The initial outlines have been drawn, black and white areas marked out and then filled in. The finer details of facial features, shading, garments and decoration are left until last. This scene is a version of the babu and bibi theme, with the addition of a third woman, perhaps a representation of the babu's neglected wife, seated at bottom left.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Work in Progress (assigned by artist) |
| Materials and techniques | Organic pigments on handmade paper. |
| Brief description | Kalighat painting 'Work in Progress' by Anwar Chitrakar, Medinipur, West Bengal, 2011. |
| Physical description | This painting depicts three central figures, a babi with his mistress seated on his lap, and another woman, presumably his wife seated on their feet. The predominant colours are black, white and yellow but there is a red draped theatrical curtain hanging over the top of the painting. The babu and bibi are seated in an intimate pose ready to share a hookah. The painting is unfinished as the bibi is missing her mouth, and there is no detail on the clothing or shading on the exposed limbs. |
| Dimensions |
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| Gallery label |
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| Summary | Modern Kalighat patuas use the same techniques of painting as the 19th century patuas did. This painting from Anwar Chitrakar shows us the process he uses to create a Kalighat painting. The initial outlines have been drawn, black and white areas marked out and then filled in. The finer details of facial features, shading, garments and decoration are left until last. This scene is a version of the babu and bibi theme, with the addition of a third woman, perhaps a representation of the babu's neglected wife, seated at bottom left. |
| Bibliographic reference | Sinha, Suhashini, and Panda, C, eds. Kalighat Paintings from the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum, London and Victoria Memorial Hall, Kolkata. London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 2012. ISBN 1851776656.
p103 cat.no 93 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | IS.47-2011 |
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| Record created | November 16, 2011 |
| Record URL |
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