Ancient Pattachitra paintings – Krishna & Gopis - India - 19th - early 20th century

Ancient traditional Indian folk art painting in the Pattachitra style, not a modern souvenir mass-produced.

Depicted is a classical, spiritual scene from Hindu mythology: the blue-skinned god Krishna plays his flute, surrounded by the dancing and playing Gopis, the cowherd girls. The scene is rich with fine details—from the almond-shaped eyes in profile to the intricate patterns of the traditional garments and the magnificent floral frame.

The painting was made according to centuries-old tradition. The surface consists of handwoven cotton fabric, prepared with a layer of chalk- and tamarind seed glue. It is painted with natural pigments. The back is secured with a protective red clay layer, as befits original pieces.

One can see the age of the piece in an honest way. The color layer displays across the entire painting a beautiful, delicate network of craquelure. In some places there are minor, age-related color loss and wear (see detail photos), which give the artwork an incredibly charming, antique character. I estimate the age to be the 19th century.

The Pattachitra painting measures 32 cm long and 24 cm wide.

The painting is housed in a simple frame for protection; the glass has a dent in one corner that is not visible in the frame. The frame with a gold edge is 40x30 cm