Royal Damsel and Palanquin Bearers

$165
Item Code: DI57
Specifications:
Madhubani Painting On Hand Made PaperFolk Painting from the Village of Madhubani (Bihar)
Dimensions 27.5 inches X 19.5 inches
Handmade
Handmade
Free delivery
Free delivery
Fully insured
Fully insured
100% Made in India
100% Made in India
Fair trade
Fair trade

This painting, not crowded by many themes, numerous motifs or densely conceived colour zones, except black all other: red, yellow and green, being in minority, is one of the most beautiful pieces with tremendous visual effects that Madhubani hands ever produced. Many of the myths, legends, beliefs, traditions, customs, rituals, festivals, practices, conventions, and even life-modes, now grown irrelevant, or are no more the part of human memory, not only comprise the essential theme of Madhubani art but instilled into its people’s blood and thus still the part of their inner being, their basic sub conscience, they often reveal new meanings and fresh contexts. They often astonish by their renewed vigour and colourfulness as does the theme in this painting : ‘a rich lady in a palanquin’, which once defined a distinct class, or a distinct occasion for any class, especially a marriage. This painting represents a mode of the life of aristocracy or elite in India pursued not merely during medieval days but even till quite late in the twentieth century. Not fully extinct, even now in remote rural areas a palanquin riding bride, or even a bridegroom, is sometimes seen frequenting the village lanes.

Except the middle register comprising about one-third of the total canvas space, representing the main theme, the entire painting has a pleasant breathing space created not by the absence of forms but rather by their presence – a true magic that repeat forms create. The multitudinous repeats of a leaf-form and a flower form alternating it, along a tree-trunk and a few branches, all line-drawn and in black, subdued in relation to larger white zones in between and around, cover the entire space. This forms a background that does not let its presence felt. For binding the space above and for a pleasant contrast the artist has created two bluish-green peacocks, one on either side. The bottom part is a lake, identical repeat dots breathing the feeling of water filling it. Again the magic of repeat forms, identical fish and identical lotuses, works and, despite that it moves the mind aesthetically, it does not distract the eye from the main theme portrayed in the middle register.

A palanquin-mounted young damsel linked with society’s upper strata, perhaps a rich man’s daughter or daughter-in-law, is the central figure of the painting. Elaborately bejewelled, elegantly costumed and carrying a stylistic bag and a tiny fan, the woman with great beauty and great fashion obviously belongs to a rich class, though with no attendant around not to nobility, and is not a royal personage. She is seated in the palanquin under an arched canopy having conical structure. Four uniformly dressed palanquin-bearers in green sashes, orange ‘dhotis’ – unstitched lengths, and red waistbands, both ‘dhotis’ and waistbands with black borders, two on each side, are carrying the palanquin. They are moving along a paved path which looks more like the paved bank of the lake. Along the path there are plants with quite large flowers.

This description by Prof. P.C. Jain and Dr. Daljeet. Prof. Jain specializes on the aesthetics of literature and is the author of numerous books on Indian art and culture. Dr. Daljeet is the curator of the Miniature Painting Gallery, National Museum, New Delhi. They have both collaborated together on a number of books.

 


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