Madhubani art, or Mithila paintings, is practiced in some regions of Assam and India, particularly the Mithila region, which is also the root of the art form's name. The artists that work on their art create these paintings using multiple mediums, including twigs, brushes, fingers, and even matchsticks, while the colours used are all natural dyes and pigments.
This art form is easily recognisable owing to its eye-catching and unique geometrical shapes and patterns. These paintings mostly depict scenarios, people and their relationship with nature, or deities they worship from ancient epics. Celestial objects like the sun and the moon, or even worshipped plants such as tulsi, are primarily painted and depicted. Royal court scenes, or even instances from weddings, of the native people are shown, and this art form is known to leave no gaps on the surface that they paint on; hence, most of the empty spaces are filled up with birds, flowers, animals, and some more geometric patterns and symbols.
This beautiful painting was traditionally initiated and created by the women of various communities from the Mithila region, specifically the Madhubani district. The same area is a large exporter of these paintings and started the creation of this art through wall art, on fresh mud walls, and painting the floors of huts, after which they progressed onto paper and canvases. Recently, artists have extended their skills to be shown on surfaces like cloth and handmade pieces. Madhubani has five different and distinctive styles: Bharni, Katchni, Tantrik, Godna, and Kohbar.
Natural colours were used formerly, but these days they are painted using poster and acrylic colours. The tradition is usually passed on from generation to generation in the families of the Mithila region.
Acrylic on canvas
28''x49''
Acrylic on paper
21.5''x28''
Acrylic on paper
22''x30''
Acrylic on paper
21''29''
Acrylic on paper
22''x30''
Acrylic on paper
29''x21.5''
Acrylic on paper
21''x28.5''
Acrylic on paper
20''x28.5''
Acrylic on paper
28.5''x22''
Acrylic on paper
28.5''x21''
Acrylic on paper
22''x30''
Acrylic on paper
22''x30''