Kalighat art

The origin of the Kalighat painting can be traced back to West Bengal during the 19th century. They were found near the Kalighat temple of Calcutta. They represented the gods and goddesses of Indian mythology and were also used to depict social and cultural importance issues for the human race. 

The birth of Kalighat art

During the 19th century, only one painting school, the traditional art of scroll paintings, was famous in the rural areas of Bengal. These scroll paintings were done on leaves or clothes. They were used to depict various mythological scenes and to depict the images of gods and goddesses. The artists that created these arts were villagers who sang scenes and displayed them using their paintings. These artists were known as the ‘painters on cloth’.

Earlier, these artists were found around areas of the Kalighat, where religious art was in demand. Later, these artists began developing and learning techniques that helped them increase their earnings. They then created the Kalighat art, and a new form of painting was born.

Another theme depicted using the Kalighat art was that of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. The Kalighat artists expanded their horizons and didn’t restrict themselves to traditional themes. Contemporary events were also a part of their theme. Secular personalities and themes were also portrayed, an essential part of the independence movement. Their paintings that depicted various costumes and performances were very famous among the tourists. 

Bold outlines and bright colours characterise Kalighat paintings. A simple yet striking visual image of an object was the main highlight of the Kalighat painting. These paintings were mostly made on mill paper. The artists used bold dyes to create the visual representation look more appealing. 

Kalighat paintings were works done by the family members of the artists. One of the members would grind ingredients to create dyes, and some would draw outlines; others would fill in the colours while finishing touches would be added by other members.

Emerging Occidental and oriental arts

There wasn’t a specific community of artists invested in creating Kalighat paintings. The prominent artists were the artisans practising different professions like stoneworkers, potters, and carpenters.

While Kalighat paintings were gaining popularity, the education system in Calcutta was undergoing a lot of changes. Fine art was getting recognition as a mainstream field for study. This motivated the artists to move to the city, improvise their skills, and learn better techniques. Henceforth, two different forms of Kalighat paintings came into existence, the Occidental and the oriental.

Successful capturing of our daily lives

Kalinghat art forms were popular during the 19th century. The most remarkable achievement of the Kalighat art was that they could make simple paintings and drawings that could be replicated by lithography. These prints were then coloured by hand. This trend continued till the twentieth century. These paintings found a place in the private collections and the museums. The Kalighat art captured the daily life incidents, and hence they were able to influence artists all across the globe. 

The decline of Kalighat paintings

The main difference between Kalighat paintings and the linear scroll paintings was that Kalighat paintings depicted a single scene in graphic form. The content was often satirical and contemporary. The scroll painters belonging to West Bengal began creating religious paintings in the Kalighat style. They became famous for their satirical portrayal of the society of Kolkata. Their leading arts included sahibs riding elephants, holy sadhus, etc.

The decline of Kalighat paintings began when wood and machine-printed paintings started gaining popularity.

Conclusion

The Kalighat folk art is a marvel and a historical representation of our artists. They were made to depict the figures of gods and goddesses, everyday events like dowry, and satirical events.  Kalighat paintings became popular during the 19th century and slowly declined by the end of the 1930s. Traces can still be found in old villages of West Bengal.