656 SOLD Old Pabuji Ki Phad - One Large Section - Indian Folk Painting Art Rajasthan

Sold to a discerning Antique Art-Lover

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PABUJI KI PHAD

This Pabuji-ki-Phad is a hand-drawn, hand-painted work of folk art from Bhilwara Rajasthan of unknown age. Used as a backdrop mural for devotional performances by 'Bhopas' who are invited to celebrations and festivals to narrate the story of the Lok Deva or folk gods. Phads are passed down from father to son in the Bhopa family and contain several scenes from the life of Pabuji and is used to illustrate the stories during the Bhopa's performance and each Phad is used over 3-4 generations. This Phad was acquired from one of the few surviving Phad artists who continue to practice their ancestral art. When Bhopas commission a new Phad the old ancestral Phad is usually consecrated and laid down in holy waters. In a few cases the Phad artist requests that the old Phad be retained for artisitic purposes. This is one such Phad. Colors used are all natural colors. The Canvas panels used are narrower as only narrow looms were available in the past.

Rare.

42" X 56"

Age unknown but estimated to be from the early 1900s / late 1800s

LITERATURE : Pages 89-90 in the coffee table book 'Indian Textiles' by John Gillow & Nicholas Bernard show younger examples of the Phad. REFERENCE EXAMPLES : 1. Brooklyn Museum, New York 2. Tropenmuseum, Amsterdam 3. Asian Art Museum, San Francisco

Read an Article on Phads here

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This item has spent a lifetime being used for the purpose of its creation with the original artist/user. Signs of this life lived heartily may be present on the piece in the form of stains, thread loss, loose threads, holes, tears, color run and other imperfections. Therefore the condition must be assumed to be “not” perfect. More photos of such imperfections will be provided on request.

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