Bibi playing Guitar

A rich man and his wife, enjoying leisure time over tobacco, is a common scene from the daily life of the then Bengal. The couple portrayed here represent a wealthy class. The abundance of jewelleries speaks for the affluence of the couple. The old days of Bengal’s socio-economic structure is well depicted in the painting. The art is generally coupled with a song that tells the story of the characters in the painting. Simple strokes to draw the figures and their attire and accessories have created magic here. It’s an art by Rajesh Chitrakar. 

The Chitrakars of Pingla are born to Muslim origin but their paintings and songs tell the tales of Hindu mythology. Thus they prove that art can rise above all religious bias and connect humans on an aesthetic plane. Surprisingly, most of these artists have no so called academic credentials. They learn from life and narrate their thoughts through their art. Bahadur Chitrakar created this art piece.