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Madhubani painting, also known as Maithil painting, is a ritual art form practiced by the women folk of Mithila region in Bihar. The painting was traditionally done on freshly plastered mud wall of huts, but now it is also done on cloth, paper and canvas. Use of earthen colors, traditional motifs and three dimensional imagery are the specialties of this painting.

Miniatures are intricate illuminations that have captured the fancy of the royalty and aristocracy since the Middle Ages. Miniatures were used mainly to illustrate written texts and they have survived in many ancient Indian manuscripts. Miniature painting style has had various influences and presently has several distinguished Schools of Paintings.

Warli paintings are monochromatic images drawn by an ancient tribe of the same name residing among the hills of Maharashtra. Grounded rice provides the white color used in drawing primal and mythical forms on mud walls and handmade paper.

Patachitra literally means ‘cloth-painting’ and has arisen from the cult of Jagannath – the presiding deity of Orissa. Natural colors are used to depict religious and mythical images on cloth and also on stitched Palm leaves.

Phadas are the traditional cloth paintings practiced by the natives of Rajasthan, commemorating the feats of local heroes, wars and victories. The smaller version of phada is known as phadakye. Phadas are painted by the chhipa caste or the Joshis. These paintings are considered sacrosanct, and are begun only after certain ceremonies.

Tribal paintings present human imagination and native culture in the most unadulterated form. Age-old themes, styles, images and techniques of painting employed by the tribesmen are still breathing in tribal paintings of today. We present a collection of tribal paintings from different parts of India.

The art of glass painting appeared in India in the late 18th and early 19th century. The Chinese artists learnt the art from Europe and from them Indians learnt the finery. Glass painting underwent the process of Indianisation and became an indispensable part of Indian painting traditions. Popular stories, epic themes, icons, portraits, and other liberal themes are still the reigning topics of Indian glass paintings.

Thangka paintings are the meditative devices employed in the practice of Buddhism. These intricate three-dimensional paintings are considered to be the pictorial depiction of the path to Nirvana and the Truth. These beautifully crafted banners are generally hung on monastery walls; they are also an integral part of Buddhist religious processions.

Batik paintings employ the wax resist technique to depict images on cloth. Batik literally means “wax writings” in Javanese and is believed to have originated in the island of Java, Indonesia. Batik paintings got a new lease of life after its revival in the art schools of Shantiniketan – West Bengal. The “wax resist’ technique used in this art form makes it both unique and viable.