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Interiors with ethnic touch
The Indian touch to an interior space adds a sense of ethnicity and renews traditional aesthetics. The desire to beautify the environment and reach out to the heavens has been the primary motivating force behind the tradition of Indian folk paintings. One such celebrated art form is Madhubani or Mithila painting.
The origin of this art form can be traced to a town called Madhubani (the literal meaning of which is ‘forests of honey’) and other areas of Mithila in Bihar.
Popular for their tribal motifs and the use of bright earthy colours, these paintings were originally done with mineral pigments prepared by the artists and found expression on freshly plastered or mud walls.
Cotton wrapped around a bamboo stick, twigs or reeds formed the brush. Coloured pigments were obtained from organic sources like vegetable dyes, turmeric, indigo, banyan leaves, soot, cow dung and flowers. Painting was considered a ceremonial community activity and was widely done by the womenfolk during festivals and religious events.
Distinctiveness
Madhubani paintings are renowned for their fine line drawings. Stark double line outlines of human figures with diagonal hatching between them are typical characteristics of the original art form.
The colours are usually deep red, green, blue, black, light yellow, crimson and lime green. Warm colours dominate the art work in order to create an apparent sense of concentrated energy and force. Paintings are coloured flat with no shading or empty spaces anywhere in the scenes depicted.
Themes and designs vary widely from portraits of Hindu deities to court scenes, wedding scenes and social happenings and other religious motifs. Floral, animal and bird patterns, geometrical designs are used as fillers within the gaps. Some paintings are also based on mythological stories and symbolism. Symbols of fertility and prosperity gain prominence and are deemed auspicious.
DEEPTI ADLAKHA
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