THE INDIAN TRADITIONAL ART FORM OF PICHWAI PAINTINGS

Pichvai paintings are one of the most ancient forms of magnificent Indian traditional art. Pichvai paintings having other than artistic appeals to them are an artistical representation of narrating tales of Krishna through an art form. 

Pichvai tradition and beyond is Ms. Pooja Singhal’s initiative to revive the art form by playing with scale and fabric that best fit the modern world of Indian traditional art. Pichvai paintings can be painted, embroidered, printed or woven in applique. In the earlier days, the art of Pichwai was done on loose, rough, hand spun fabric and painted in permanent natural colors that were extracted from vegetables and minerals and that don’t tend to fade with time. 

The paintings have dark hued outlines and the filling for the picture is done using lighter soft tones. On a starched cloth, the painter first makes a rough sketch and then fills in the colours.

In olden days colors sourced from natural resources were used along with brushes made of horse, goat or squirrel hair were used. In today’s time people have replaced these with faster and less materials. However, an art lover can still find several paintings done using only natural colours. The use of pure gold in the paintings is perceived to add more value and charm to the whole painting.

It takes around 3 to 4 days to prepare the color using pure gold as a resource. A Pichwai painting for the temple backdrop can take from a few weeks to months to prepare. Wealthy families commission paintings for the temple.

The Indian traditional art form of pichvai paintings are made for different occasions, different seasons, festivals, and so on.  The paintings from summer usually have pink lotuses in the summer whereas the paintings for Sharad Purnima depicting a night scene are showcased showing the bright full moon. 

Some popular themes depicted in pichwai paintings are Raas Leela, Holi, Annakut (Govardhan Puja), that are shown in their relevant occassions At times rich embroidery or appliqué work is used on the paintings. Enclosed in a dark border, rich colours like red, green, yellow, white and black are used, with a lot of gold decorating the figures. 

Pichvai Tradition and beyond is an initiative to revive the traditional indian art form of painting. Pichvai tradition and beyond’s initiative has reimagined and reworked the layered historical styles and influences in newer scales, formats and themes for a wider audience.