PICHVAI (PICHWAI) PAINTINGS | PICHVAI TRADITION & BEYOND

India is known for its rich culture and traditional art form that have kept its culture alive in the ever transforming modern world.  There are several traditional art forms that project the country’s heritage. Antique Pichwai paintings , Warli paintings and Tanjore paintings are amongst the oldest and the most exquisite style of paintings that have been a treasure to the nation. The Art of Tanjore Originating from the South Indian city of Thanjavur, Tanjore is the intricate art of hand-painting canvases made of wood and cloth. Additionally, paintings were also done on walls, glass, paper and ivory. Tanjore paintings often depict scenes from puranas and emphasize iconic moments from the lives of Hindu gods and goddesses such as Saraswati, Lakshmi, Durga, Ganesha and Krishna. Each painting is adorned with precious and semi-precious stones, glass beads, glossy colors and a glow emanating from 22-carat gold foils that are used to emboss the artwork. This unique treatment...

It is not common for people brought up in India to have grown up listening to the glorious stories of Lord Krishna. The stories of Krishna, especially the tales of his childhood, make up a significant and beautiful part of Indian culture and history. From books to movies and different kinds of media, these tales are everywhere. However, not many know that there is an art form specialized particularly to depict these tales of Krishna. Known as one of the most significant folk paintings of India , Pichvai paintings are a sheer art of talent and creativity.  The central theme of Pichvai Paintings revolves around the stories of experiences of Lord Krishna, majorly from his early years. Although lesser known by its name, Pichvai paintings find their home in galleries and buildings around the world. Let us understand what are pichvai paintings and what makes them different from the rest of the popular folk paintings of India . Further in the article, it will be elaborated how th...