Fish Mandala

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$155

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Madhubani Paintings came from a long tradition of art from the Mithila region of Bihar. It traces its origins by using a variety of tools to paint such as twigs, brushes, and sticks with natural-colored pigments. It is also known for its aesthetic representations of everyday scenes in life, gods, and nature. One look at a Madhubani painting and it will show other key elements such as geometric patterns and a filled canvas with no space or area left blank. The predominant accents used to give life to the mostly-dark aesthetic is white and orange.

Mandalas are already known to involve geometric symbols and designs. These pieces are normally used in spiritual activities and areas of worship. This mandala showcases motifs of fish, four of which can be seen surrounding a lotus flower at the very center. In Hinduism, the lotus is a symbol of divine perfection. The main fish in the mandala are depicted with yellow heads that contrasted well against the dark backdrop. People from Mithila consider the fish as the first creatures created as they were the first to dwell and benefit from the life-giving rivers Ganges and Yamuna. Fishes can be seen all over the painting, some are depicted in pairs. In the Buddhist Ashtamangala, two golden fish represent fearlessness in the face of samsara or cycle of rebirth and can also represent fertility or abundance. In the mix of numerous fish are lotus flowers, too.

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Item Code:	DO57
Specifications:	Madhubani Painting on Hand Made Paper Treated with Cow DungFolk Painting from the Village of Madhubani (Bihar)Artist: Suli Devi
Dimensions	28.5 inch x 20.5 inch

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Colors of Tradition: Exploring the Artistry Behind Madhubani Paintings

Madhubani painting is also known as Mithila art as it is practiced in the Mithila region of India and Nepal. It has specifically originated from the Madhubani district of the state of Bihar. Traditionally, the women of this region created these paintings and in recent years, it has become a widely practiced art and has now become renowned throughout the world. This art expresses the creativity and culture of the people of Mithila and is passed from one generation to another. In this way, the heritage of Madhubani art has been preserved for many decades. The subjects of these paintings are usually religion, love, and fertility. Sometimes, social events like festivals, weddings, and royal court are also depicted in the paintings. The most commonly painted designs and themes are the forms of Hindu Gods and Goddesses such as Ganesha, Shiva, Saraswati, Lakshmi, Krishna, and Ram. The characteristic features of Madhubani paintings are their vibrant colors and eye-catching geometrical patterns. The empty spaces are filled with traditional motifs such as floral and foliate patterns, animals, birds, geometrical structures, and other designs. The local artists create these paintings using a variety of items such as matchsticks, twigs, brushes, pens, or even their own fingers. The paints are usually made with natural dyes and pigments.
As simple as it may seem, the making process of the world-famous Madhubani paintings is certainly not easy and requires lots of hard labor.

Traditional Madhubani paintings are done either on cloth, handmade paper, or canvas. Select the medium of painting as per your choice. If you have chosen cloth, attach it to cardboard to make a solid base. The making of the painting begins with making a double-lined border. This is a very important step because the border is filled with various geographical shapes and patterns or other motifs. The average width of the border is 1.5 - 2 cm. Now that the border is created, you will be left with a blank middle space. This is the main workspace. Start drawing your choice of figure, designs, and shapes. These must be relevant to the Madhubani painting themes.

When the key design has been made, the empty spaces in between are filled with some designs.
Now is the time to color the painting using vivid shades and hues. Colors in Madhubani are sourced from nature; Indigo is used to produce blue, flower juice produces red, turmeric gives yellow, leaves produce green, cow dung mixed soot gives black, and rice powder gives white.

To paint these colors, the artist uses a bamboo stick and wraps cotton around it. This acts as a traditional brush.
The entire painting is now painted using this special brush with natural vibrant colors. · However, in modern times, the common brush is used and instead of natural colors, artists prefer to use acrylic paints.

Since the entire painting is made with natural materials and colors, it appears simple yet enriching. Originally, this art was created on mud walls or soil grounds but when it evolved over many years, the people of Madhubani started to make it on fabric and paper. Today, this art has become globalized and is receiving worldwide attention and appreciation.

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