Pattachitra Painting
The Pattachitra paintings are native to the states of Odisha & West Bengal. The form of art is based on the ancient Bengali narrative tradition.
The paintings of Odisha can be broadly classified into three categories based on the medium used, namely paintings on cloth or ‘Patta Chitra’, paintings on walls or ‘Bhitti Chitra’ and palm leaf engravings or “Tala Patra Chitra” or “Pothi, Chitra’.
The style of all these remains more or less the same at a specific time because the then artists were commissioned to work in all these media, it is believed.
The paintings seen in old Odisha’s paintings of famous temples and centres of Puri, Konark and Bhubaneshwar region, dating back to the 5th century BC. The best work is found in the temples of Jagannath at Puri and Sun Temple at Konark.
Pattachitra Painting is one of the most famous forms of Indian folk art. As mentioned above, It consists primarily in paintings on cloth and depicts mostly Hindu divinities. “Patta” means “cloth” and “Chitra” means “painting”
Pattachitra Painting is a traditional Indian folk art of Odisha that has been around for centuries. It was originally used for rituals and as mementos to pilgrims. These paintings are hand-painted on paper or made out of textiles. The style is characterized by bright colors, intricate patterns.
The Pattachitra paintings images are usually done in profile with elongated eyes. One of the reasons why these paintings are so expressive is that they’re drawn using vivid, contrasting colors.
Over the years, Pattachitra paintings have evolved and have experienced discernible changes. Chitrakars have painted on palm leaves and Tussar silk, and have also created wall hangings and showpieces.
Pattachitra Painting Galleries
Over the years, Pattachitra paintings have evolved and have experienced discernible changes. Chitrakars have painted on palm leaves and Tussar silk, and have also created wall hangings and showpieces.
These paintings are popular folk art form of Odisha, India. It is closely related to the cult of Shri Jagannath and the temple traditions in Puri. This art form is traditionally used as decoration for the interior walls of Hindu temples.
Some of the popular themes represented through Pattachitra paintings are
-
Thia Badhia– depiction of the Jagannath temple
-
Krishna Lila – enactment of Jagannath as Lord Krishna displaying his powers as a child
-
Dasabatara Patti – the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu
-
Panchamukhi – depiction of Lord Ganesh as a five-headed deity
More than anything, the themes are clearly the essence of the art form, conceptualizing the meaning of the paintings. Pattachitra, which is an ancient form of Indian folk art, serves as a visual tool during Bengali song performances.
Today, this art form is being revived by younger generations and these Paintings can be seen on everything from walls to boxes of sweets. You can find a Pattachitra on almost any surface in Odisha, but some of the most interesting pieces are on the pillars outside.
Most of the materials used in this painting are natural substances. Pattachitra painting is done with 4 colors, red, yellow, white & black.
These traditional Indian paintings done on any surface that can be painted. Recently, they have evolved and experienced noticeable changes.
There are suggestions that art on cloth depicting the temple and its iconography was put into use when the temple is inaccessible.
This tradition quickly evolved into a demand for Jagganath pattachitra as pilgrim souvenirs, which served as a reminder and conduit for devotions. Pilgrims soon requested pattachitra portraying other deities and scenes from Hindu histories, scripture, myths
This style of painting is most commonly seen in Puri, Odissa and Bengal; it has grown to become popular across India, providing the people with a widely available form of art. But more importantly, this type of art is available throughout India and can be transported anywhere.
Bengal Pattachitra is a traditional genre of painting from West Bengal. It’s also known as the Maha Patachitra and is dated back to ancient times. It includes different styles, for example Durga Pat, Chalchitra, Tribal Patachitra and Medinipur Pattachitra.
The subject matter of Bengal Patachitra is mostly religion, myths, folk stories and social. The Kalighat Patachitra, the last tradition of Bengal Patachitra is developed by Jamini Roy. The artist of the Bengal Patachitra is called Patua
The Geographical indication of Patachitra is registered differently in both the states because the style and motif of the paintings in both the state are different. Patachitra of Odisha is registered as Orissa Patachitra while that of West Bengal is registered as Bengal Patachitra.