It was a short-lived style of watercolour painting produced in the 19th century in Eastern India. It usually depicted popular Hindu deities, but scenes of contemporary life are also found. Though its themes were urban, the artists were rural migrants living in the surrounding villages. A typical theme in the painting shows Yashoda with baby Krishna. Famous artist Matisse and Picasso were influenced by its simplicity and boldness. The above passage best describes which of the following School of Indian folk painting?

It was a short-lived style of watercolour painting produced in the 19th century in Eastern India. It usually depicted popular Hindu deities, but scenes of contemporary life are also found. Though its themes were urban, the artists were rural migrants living in the surrounding villages. A typical theme in the painting shows Yashoda with baby Krishna. Famous artist Matisse and Picasso were influenced by its simplicity and boldness. The above passage best describes which of the following School of Indian folk painting? Correct Answer Kalighat

The correct answer is Kalighat.

Important Points

• Kalighat Painting, short-lived style of watercolour painting produced in the 19th century in India by artists in the Calcutta marketplace for sale to pilgrims visiting the Kalighat temple.
  • The style is characterized by broad sweeping brush lines, bold colours, and simplification of forms suitable for their mass production.
  • In the heyday of the colonial rule when all things - natives were scorned and cheap printed pictures displaced handcrafted ones, the Art went into terminal decline.
  • Despite this, Matisse and Picasso were influenced by its simplicity and boldness, and it inspired Jamini Roy to create his own unique style.
  • Recently it has made a dramatic comeback, and is now a valued item in the collections of museums worldwide.
  • Though its themes are urban, the artists still live in the surrounding villages, and it has retained its folksy naivety and charm.
  • A typical theme in the painting shows Yashoda with baby Krishna.
  • It usually depicted popular Hindu deities, but scenes of contemporary life are also found.

Additional Information

• Patua Art:
  • The Patuas are an artisan community found in the state of West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha in India and parts of Bangladesh.
  • The art dates back around thousand years.
  • It started out as a village tradition by painters of telling Mangal Kavyas or auspicious stories of gods.
• Pataikar Art:
  • Paitkar‘ is the traditional painting of a village in eastern part of Jharkhand, an art form which is present in the village from ancient times.
  • The Paitkar paintings are also popularly known as the scroll paintings of Jharkhand.
  • Paitkar painting are mostly associated with Hindu epics.
  • The stories are from Ramayana, Mahabharata, Manasa song (Manasa pada), Kali song (Kali Pada).
• Manjusha Painting:
  • Manjusha Art is an ancient and historically significant art form, considered on a par with Madhubani art.
  • Manjusha Art or Manjusha Kala is often referred to as Snake Paintings by foreigners as swirling snakes in the art depict the central character Bihula's tale of love and sacrifice.