Warli painting is a folk art of the Warlis of India. The name Warli Painting is derived from the name of the tribe, which is Warli. The paintings are generally classified under the style category of Indian Tribal Art.
The art of Warli painting began in the year 1955 amongst a few young boys who were fascinated by the art of drawing. They have been practicing this art since then and have gradually developed their own style and technique. This art form has been getting popularity all over India and many people have taken up this as a profession.
The art is still practiced by some members of the tribe but only for livelihood purposes now as they are more interested in earning money than preserving this age-old tradition. There are many modern graphic artists who still make use of this inspiring art form to enhance their creativity, but they do not follow traditional ways to create the paintings.
The evolution of Warli painting had its origins in the ancient folklore where deities such as Yama, Indra, Vishnu and Krishna were worshipped through dance and music. The idols of these deities were created with natural substances such as leaves, flowers and fruits. The leaves used were mainly Palas or Neem leaves; flowers like Parijat and Aabhal were used; fruits like
The Warli tribe has always been connected to India’s folklore.
Folklore is all those stories and legends that have been passed down from generation to generation by word of mouth.
India’s folklore is as unique as it is diverse. It includes stories, epics and ballads about Hindu gods and goddesses and their avatars, historical events, cultural aspects, superstitions and a lot more.
The Warli tribe is one of the oldest tribes in India. Their origin is still unclear but they are known to be descendants of the ancient tribes in India who probably migrated from central Asia. They are also believed to be related to the tribes in Tibet.
A few centuries ago the Warlis inhabited areas like Bombay and Thane which are now part of Maharashtra state. As urbanization spread through Maharashtra state most members of the Warli tribe began moving out of the forests into cities. Today a majority of members from this tribe live in Mumbai with smaller numbers living elsewhere in Maharashtra state as well as other parts of India such as Gujarat state.*
There are a lot of artists from this tribe who use their art to communicate with people from other cultures.*
Warli art painting is a form that originated about 150 years back among the Warlis belonging to the Ajagara
Warli painting, one of the most interesting forms of Indian art, is the outcome of the evolution of indigenous painting. The origin of Warli painting is not known to many people, but it was discovered to be the result of a periodical improvement and alteration in the art that was being practiced by the aborigines of India.
Tribal communities have been practicing their own kinds of painting since ages. However, these paintings were not much significant or impressive. It was not until about eighty years ago that some modifications were made to it. In 1927, it came into prominence when Albert Hubbe, a German painter and ethnologist first noticed this particular style of painting in Amravati district in Maharashtra.
This kind of painting has evolved from tribal art and folk art to its present form where human figures are also depicted as a part of contemporary Warli paintings.
The name ‘Warlis’ has been derived from the name of a tribe named Warlis which is said to have practiced this particular art form. They are said to be living in parts of Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh near Deccan Plateau. They are said to have lived during 18th-19th century and are said to have contributed significantly towards development and propagation of this
Warli painting is a form of art that originated in India. It is an ancient art form and one of the few surviving forms of tribal arts from India.Warli painting has been a long tradition among the Warli tribes in Maharashtra, India. Though this art form is known as Warli painting, it is actually made by the Mahadev or Mahadeo artist community who belong to the Bhil tribe that lives in the same area.
Tribal paintings are not made by one person alone, but involve several people. Some members include:
The Village Chief – the headmaster who supervises the artists and guides them to create their masterpieces.
He acts as a lecturer and sometimes takes part in creating his own masterpiece.
The Carver – he carves out wooden blocks with themes from Hindu mythology and culture.
The Drawing Master – he creates sketches on paper or cloth of what will be painted onto the wood blocks.
The Chalk maker – he mixes mud, cow dung and water to make a fine paste which he uses for drawing on wood blocks.
The Painter – he uses paint sticks to apply color to the wood blocks using colors such as ochre, red, green, yellow and blue. He also uses white chalk
Warli painting is an art form from the state of Maharashtra, India. It has also been recognized by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of Intangible Heritage of Humanity. Warli art is a form of folk art and is practiced primarily in the Indian state of Maharashtra.
Tribal communities have lived on the western coast of India for centuries. They have always been famous for their vibrant and colorful paintings on the walls inside their houses. Warli paintings are usually made on the interior walls of tribal dwellings such as huts, in order to protect them from adverse weather conditions such as rain. Warli paintings depict various aspects of daily life, religious beliefs and rituals, historical events etc., and are mostly drawn using natural materials such as charcoal, rice powder, etc., which are locally available.
The name
The Warli painting technique is one that was used by the tribal people of India, in particular the Warli tribe. The Warli tribe is spread over the Indian states of Maharashtra and Gujarat. The Warli tribe is a small community and they are scattered throughout these two states.
Tribal art has always been a very important part of India’s culture since ancient times. Tribal art can be found in various parts of India, like Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa and even in neighbouring countries like Nepal and Bangladesh. The art style of these tribes varies from place to place. In some areas, there are no distinctions between tribal art and village arts.
The Warli tribe is one such group, who have contributed to a large extent towards the development of Indian tribal arts. They have produced some great and unique forms of tribal arts like the Warli painting, which has now become an integral part of the country’s culture.
The Warli paintings are also found on the walls of this cave. It has a fine collection of pictures which depict various animals as well as important events in the life of the tribal people. The tribal people pay a lot of attention to details and so their paintings are vivid and realistic. The paintings that adorn the walls of this cave show the progress of art from primitive to modern times.
The name Warli is derived from the name of a small tribe in Maharashtra which is known for making these paintings. The Warlis were previously known as Bhils who migrated to this region about 1000 years ago. In fact, some scholars believe that they migrated from Rajasthan or South Gujarat.
The early Warli paintings were done using vegetable colours which were mixed with clay. Then came the use of natural colours like black, white, yellow and red. From this stage onwards, they started experimenting with various mediums and materials used in painting like ink, charcoal and oil colour. Some other tribes in India also have forms of art like Kolami art, Gond art etc. but none can be compared to the wonderful art forms of the Warlis.
The main themes depicted in these paintings are mythology, folklore and hunting scenes depicting both wild and domesticated animals like elephants,