Ancient Crafts of Rajasthan - Hand Painted Wooden Furniture & Marble Painting

By Chip Tolaney

Want to spice up your living room? A single item of ha-painted furniture from Rajasthan, India, could be just the thing you're looking for, adding rich color and interest to your home.

Like other myriad crafts from this Indian desert state, hand-painted wooden furniture has a long tradition. The cities of Kishangarh and Jodhpur, in particular, are famed for their distinctive styles of furniture.

Acacia arabica, mango and rose are the woods favored by artisans. An item of furniture is first made and then finished. Painting is done over the finished piece, which is finally given a coat of varnish. A host of products are available: small, low chairs (with detachable seats) that are surprisingly comfortable, stools, trunks, wine racks, cupboards, doors, paneled screens, cabinets and decorative, carved 'windows'. A wide range of bright colors are used to decorate these products.

Paintings from the Kishangarh School of Art present human figures with highly stylized features - elongated necks, wide, almond-shaped eyes, slender fingers and muted colors. This style - like the pretty, symmetrical floral motifs - bears the stamp of the Mughal influence on the artforms of Rajasthan. Such motifs, which were traditionally painted on silk as miniatures, find their way on to furniture as well. Kishangarh furniture also features embossed and painted designs.

Wooden furniture from Jodhpur has a quaint, antique charm, with typically ethnic color combinations. A cabinet, for instance, might feature red and green floral motifs with a border of cobalt blue and ochre. Decorative wooden wall pieces often feature richly carved borders that frame paintings of Hindu gods or Rajput kings and queens.

Rajasthan's painted furniture evokes the rich traditions of its glorious past and makes for unmatched conversation pieces.

Marble Painting in Rajasthan is the other popular craft. From the mines of Makrana in Rajasthan (western India) came the marble used to build the Taj Mahal. Now you can own a piece of history too! Painting on marble is an ancient craft in Rajasthan that comes down to us in an unbroken tradition. Today, with worldwide demand, artisans produce a variety of exquisite creations that have both decorative and utilitarian value.

Whether it's a vase, a traditional Indian water pot, bowls, jewelry boxes, pipes used for smoking, lanterns or more contemporary products like bathroom ware, marble painting renders the products breathtakingly beautiful. Gorgeous, stylized floral designs, delicately picked out with gold foil are used to turn out stunning pieces in eye-catching combinations of red, green, black, yellow or deep blue.

Rajasthan's marble paintings are fit for a king's palace. The art was patronized by the ancient rulers of Amer-Jaipur, now the state capital. The traditional motifs used show a strong influence of Mughal art. This is due to the closeness that existed between the Rajputs and the Mughals. The difference lies in the brighter colors used by the artisans of Rajasthan.

Miniature paintings on marble tiles are also a great buy. Most miniature marble paintings represent Hindu gods and Rajput kings and queens clad in their traditional finery. Often, the paintings also feature a fine, net-like carving of marble around the painting, a special technique used by artisans in Rajasthan. Fine gold leaves were also used in these paintings enhancing their richness. A more contemporary use of marble painting can be found in photo frames, with techniques like embossed paintings and enameling being used to turn out exquisite pieces.

Chip Tolaney operates Ethnic Gifts Store called Cultural Elements. He shares additional info about the world crafts at Cultural Elements Blog

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