Madhubani Paintings

Madhubani Painting

Madhubani painting originated in a small village, known as Maithili, of the Bihar state of India. Initially, the womenfolk of the village drew the paintings on the walls of their home, as an illustration of their thoughts, hopes and dreams. With time, the paintings started becoming a part of festivities and special events, like marriage. Slowly and gradually, the Madhubani painting of India crossed the traditional boundaries and started reaching connoisseurs of art, both at the national as well as the international level.

Origins

Madhubani painting has been done traditionally by the women of villages around the present town of Madhubani (the literal meaning of which is forests of honey) and other areas of Mithila. The painting was traditionally done on freshly plastered mud walls and floors of huts, but now they are also done on cloth, handmade paper and canvas. Madhubani paintings are made from the paste of powdered rice. Madhubani painting has remained confined to a compact geographical area and the skills have been passed on through centuries, the content and the style have largely remained the same. And that is the reason for Madhubani painting being accorded the coveted GI (geographical Indication) status. Madhubani paintings also use two dimensional imagery, and the colors used are derived from plants. Ochre and lampblack are also used for reddish brown and black respectively.

Madhubani Painting Themes

The central theme the Madhubani paintings is the Hindu Gods and Goddesses. The main theme is supported by the traditional geometric patterns. Some of the main attributes of all the Madhubani paintings double line border, ornate floral patterns, abstract-like figures of deities, bold use of colors and bulging eyes and a jolting nose of the faces of the figures. Madhubani paintings requires paste of cow dung and mud, applied to the walls and floors to give a perfect black background on which pictures are drawn with rice paste and vegetable colors.

Madhubani Painting

Madhubani painting originated in a small village, known as Maithili, of the Bihar state of India. Initially, the womenfolk of the village drew the paintings on the walls of their home, as an illustration of their thoughts, hopes and dreams. With time, the paintings started becoming a part of festivities and special events, like marriage. Slowly and gradually, the Madhubani painting of India crossed the traditional boundaries and started reaching connoisseurs of art, both at the national as well as the international level.

Origins

Madhubani painting has been done traditionally by the women of villages around the present town of Madhubani (the literal meaning of which is forests of honey) and other areas of Mithila. The painting was traditionally done on freshly plastered mud walls and floors of huts, but now they are also done on cloth, handmade paper and canvas. Madhubani paintings are made from the paste of powdered rice. Madhubani painting has remained confined to a compact geographical area and the skills have been passed on through centuries, the content and the style have largely remained the same. And that is the reason for Madhubani painting being accorded the coveted GI (geographical Indication) status. Madhubani paintings also use two dimensional imagery, and the colors used are derived from plants. Ochre and lampblack are also used for reddish brown and black respectively.

Madhubani Painting Themes

The central theme the Madhubani paintings is the Hindu Gods and Goddesses. The main theme is supported by the traditional geometric patterns. Some of the main attributes of all the Madhubani paintings double line border, ornate floral patterns, abstract-like figures of deities, bold use of colors and bulging eyes and a jolting nose of the faces of the figures. Madhubani paintings requires paste of cow dung and mud, applied to the walls and floors to give a perfect black background on which pictures are drawn with rice paste and vegetable colors.