Description

Kalighat paintings are characterized by bright, broad washes of color and were made in the neighborhood of Calcutta's Kalighat temple in the late19th and early 20th centuries. Subjects ranged from religious images to contemporary events and social commentary. They are an example of early mass produced images that resulted from the migration of artists from rural to urban spaces  and the new demands of a growing population in colonial India. They were frequently picked up by western tourists travelling through India since Calcutta was a major port city.