The Eldest Bahuraani With Her Hookah

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$355

She lacks neither beauty nor wealth. A powerful woman, not quite past her prime, sits with her legs crossed on a seat of red velvet and brocade cushions. She directs her gaze straight ahead of her, with all the confidence of the eldest bahuraani (daughter-in-law) in the absence of her mother-in-law. She is probably blessed with the love of more than one son in addition to her husband’s. In this oil painting she is depicted in her leisure, smoking on a hookah upon a quiet afternoon at home.

In keeping with her social status, she is dressed in a lehenga of green and ivory silk with ample proportion of brocade on it. Her shringar is flawless - maangtika and headband, nosering and jhumke (chunky Indian danglers), necklaces and amulets and anklets, and a world of rings on her fingers and toes. From the fashionable cut of her choli to the jewels studded on her gold ornaments, she is clearly a woman of domestic clout.

Zoom in on that unusual face, the flattering lines having emerged from the fulness of youth and maternity. Her eyes are large, of a deep brown colour. An intelligent brow set against a seductive mouth. The hookah in her hand is a symbol of her power and place within the socio-domestic realm, and it is in that bhoga that such a gorgeous woman whiles away her days.

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Item Code:	OS64
Artist:	Anup Gomay
Specifications:	Oil on Canvas
Dimensions	36 inches X 50 inches

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100% Made in India

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Oil painting technique – India centric

Oil painting is the most interesting technique in art. Unlike other paintings or art forms, oil painting is a process in which colored pigments are painted on the canvas with a drying oil medium as a binder. This medium helps colors blend beautifully to create layers and also makes them appear rich and dense. Several varieties of oil are used in this painting such as sunflower oil, linseed oil, etc., and depending on the quality of the oil, a particular consistency of the paint is developed. With the use of an oil medium, the painting gets a natural sheen on the surface which appears extremely attractive. India is famous for its old tradition of making oil paintings. This art form was brought by Europeans in the 18th century and is now practiced by almost all well-known artists. Nirmal, a small tribal town in the state of Telangana is the center of traditional oil paintings in India where the local people practice it with dedication. Most Indian artists still use the traditional technique of oil painting.

Canvas of the required size is prepared

The artists use either a wood panel or canvas made from linen or cotton. Sometimes the canvas is stretched onto the wooden frame to form a solid base, or cardboard may be used. The canvas is coated with a layer of white paint or chalk mixed with animal glue. This mixture is then smoothed and dried to form a uniform, textured surface. The wooden panel is more expensive and heavier but its solidity is an advantage in making detailed paintings with ease.

Sketch is drawn on the canvas

Now the artist starts to draw the subject of the painting on the canvas using the actual charcoal or a charcoal pencil. Sometimes, he may sketch with thinned paint as well.

Oil paint is applied using paint brushes or palette knives

Now that the rough sketch is prepared, the artist is now ready to paint. Oil paint, a special paint that contains particles of pigments suspended in a drying oil (usually linseed oil), is again mixed with oil to make it thinner for applying it on the canvas. Proper consistency of the paint is maintained to avoid its breakage. The most important rule for the application of oil paint is “Fat over lean” in which the first layer of paint is thin and later, thicker layers are applied. This means that each additional layer of paint contains more oil. This results in getting a stable paint film. Traditionally, paint was applied using paint brushes but now the artists also use palette knives to create crisp strokes. To paint using this technique, the edge of the palette knife is used to create textured strokes that appear different from that of a paintbrush. Sometimes, oil paints are blended simply using fingers for getting the desired gradation.

Smaller oil paintings, with very fine detail, are relatively easier to paint than larger ones. The most attractive feature of these paintings is the natural shiny appearance that is obtained on the surface because of the use of oil paint. The blending of colors looks extremely realistic and this is the reason why oil paintings are loved by everyone throughout the world.

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