
Oliver White
Head of Department


£2,000 - £3,000
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Head of Department
Such paintings, depicting stories from both the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, are often known as 'Paithan', from the town in Maharasthtra where examples were first discovered. They were used by itinerant oral storytellers (chitrakathis) in Maharasthtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, and were held up to illustrate the action to the audience, which is reflected in their bold composition and their large size relative to most Indian painting.