The Head of Prativeda
Painting; paint on paper. Bright colours. Scene from the Mahabharata, known as the Head of Prativeda. The two figures fight amidst a hail of arrows.

Paithan Style
Date19thC

Paithan style:
Paintings used in story-telling by itinerant bards. Typical of the Andhra Pradesh/Karnataka border area and not - as was once thought - with the town of Paithan, further to the northwest. Although incorrect, this terminology is still in use (the mistaken provenance originally came about because early collections of these paintings were acquired in the town of Paithan). They are often double-sided, though in museum collections they have frequently been divided. Subjects include the epics, frequently with local characters and scenes interpolated. They are painted in a highly stylised manner and are clearly linked to the shadow-puppet tradition of Karnataka.

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