All Kalighat Painting

Kalighat painting is a style of Indian painting that emerged in the nineteenth century among the patuas, professional scroll painters working near the Kalighat Kali Temple in Kolkata, then Calcutta, in the Indian state of West Bengal. Its bold black outlines, flat vibrant colour washes and minimal background detail suited quick, inexpensive production on hand-made and machine paper, and patuas sold these images to temple pilgrims and a growing urban market. The style spans devotional subjects, Hindu deities and mythological episodes, alongside satirical or everyday scenes of contemporary Bengali society, and it is recognized as a distinct bazaar art tradition of nineteenth and early twentieth century Bengal, with the Victoria and Albert Museum holding the largest surviving collection.