655 SOLD Old Antique 'Pabuji Ki Phad' Fragment Folk Painting

Sold to a discerning Antique Art-Lover

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This Pabuji-ki-Phad is a hand-drawn, hand-painted work of folk art from Bhilwara Rajasthan.

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. Superbly drawn.

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. The condition is as can be expected of a painting that has gone on a mission from village to village in the harsh austere conditions that the Bhopa has lived in. It is faded and has many signs of wear and heavy usage. Please examine photos.

Rare.

SIZE 52" X 78"

Backing cloth has been added to the painting.

Age Unknown

LITERATURE REFERENCE : 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

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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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