Kalighat

Kalighat folk paintings, as suggested by the name, were created near the Kali temple in south Calcutta. Kalighat painters belonged to the Patua community of Bengal. From the 1830s until the 1930s, these paintings were sold as souvenirs among pilgrims and tourists visiting the temple. The Kalighat painters did not have the same exposure as Company School painters of the time, and so developed a visual language that was devoid of European influence. The bold lines, flat colors, and choice of themes of Kalighat paintings were different from both traditional Pats and Company schools.