Impressive large Kalighat painting “Lady with a bird”, Calcutta, India, around 1880 Kalighat painting, or pata (originally pronounced 'pot' in Bengali) is a style of Indian painting that derives its name from the place. It is characterised by generously curving figures of both men and women and an earthy satirical style. It developed during the nineteenth century in response to the sudden prosperity brought to Calcutta by the East India Company trade, whereby many people including that of 'Prince' Dwarkanath Tagore, grandfather of Rabindranath Tagore became incredibly wealthy. The Kalighat artists were rarely educated, and usually came from a lineage of artisans. Kalighat patas are still made today although genuine work is hard to come by. Unframed painting 49.5cm x 38cm Provenance: UK Auction House