Description

This painting shows Lord Ganesha in a victorious posture. He has planted his foot firmly on the seven headed snake demon and vanquished him, by twisting his tail. Two mermaids pay their homage to him, as they rise from the blue waves.

History

The oldest record of Patta Paintings does not probably go beyond the establishment of the present shrine of Lord Jagannath at Puri. (13th century) It may be due to the fact that paintings do not survive like sculptures. The paintings inside the shrines of Lord Jagannath at Puri make the date probable.

Skills

It has been painted by a master artist and takes about four months to complete. The artist is highly proficient in line drawing, having painted the outlines directly in light red or yellow first, and then filled in the colors. To paint such a piece, the artist needs tremendous concentration and patience. As the process of painting this is physically demanding, it must be phased over time. The artist must have excellent hand-eye coordination and a very steady hand to work on a painting of this size and scale. He has painstakingly filled in every little detail of the borders and patterns. His skill in mixing and contrasting colors is unmatched and is borne out by the grandeur of the painting. The artist is also skilled in depicting the human and animal form and their expressions with grace and fluidity.

Aesthetics

The most striking feature of this piece is the imaginative portrayal of Ganesha. The artist draws every little detail in a fine floral form. The waves are an example of this; they are painted as little curls of water and strewn with petals and flowers. Noteworthy are the intricacies on ganesha's apparel, the clothing and bodies of the mermaids in vivid colors , the coloring and pattern on the snakes coils , and the foliage in the background. The brilliant borders add the finishing touch to this impressive painting.

Material

This Patachitra has been made on ‘Tassar Silk’(a non-mulberry silk) which has been dyed a grey color. Tassar silk is drawn from cocoons grown on indigenous trees in natural shades of pale gold, honey, cream and beige. It is strong and lustrous. A fine lacquer coating has been given to protect the colors and fabric. Vegetable and mineral colors are used to paint a Patachitra.

Care