>AngryHarpy at 09:43, 26 February 2021

2021-02-26T09:43:32Z

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{{Short description|Indian folk artist}}

'''Karpoori Devi''' (1929-2019) was an Indian folk artist, painting in the [[Madhubani art]] tradition and creating textile art in the Sujni tradition. She belonged to an early generation of artists who sold Madhubani art with critical and commercial success, and her work has been archived in collections in India as well as Japan, Australia, and the United States of America.

== Career ==
Devi was taught Madhubani art techniques by her mother, and spent her early childhood painting on floors and walls made with [[Cow dung|dried cow dung]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=कर्पूरी देवी: मधुबनी पेंटिंग काे दी अंतर्राष्‍ट्रीय पहचान, सात दशक की कला यात्रा पर लगा विराम|url=https://www.jagran.com/bihar/muzaffarpur-karpuri-devi-gave-international-identity-to-madhubani-painting-seven-decade-journey-of-art-ends-with-her-jagran-special-19449080.html|access-date=2021-02-26|website=Dainik Jagran|language=hi}}</ref> Her formal education was limited to early schooling.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=स्मृति शेष: यूं ही नहीं दुनियाभर में छा गयी थीं कर्पूरी|url=https://www.livehindustan.com/bihar/story-madhubani-painting-artist-karpuri-devi-dies-end-of-an-era-of-art-2662213.html|access-date=2021-02-26|website=Hindustan|language=hindi}}</ref>

Devi belonged to an early generation of Madhubani (sometimes known as Mithila) artists who gained public recognition for their work and style of art.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|date=2019-07-31|title=Karpuri Devi, the eminent Mithila painting artist and creator of Mithila Museum in Japan passes away|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/art-and-culture/karpuri-devi-the-eminent-mithila-painting-artist-and-creator-of-mithila-museum-in-japan-passes-away/story-agHo6NMDvZa9X1dip0e1aO.html|access-date=2021-02-26|website=Hindustan Times|language=en}}</ref> [[Lalit Narayan Mishra]], a Minister in the government led by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, advocated for the preservation of the Madhubani art tradition, drawing on his personal roots in the region, and Indira Gandhi herself was known to appreciate Devi's art herself.<ref name=":0" /> At the encouragement of Mishra, Gandhi established a branch of th eAll India' Crafts Council in the Madhubani region in Bihar.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|date=2018-03-02|title=Mithila, Museums, and Memories: Travels in Bihar|url=https://www.maxwell.syr.edu/moynihan/sac/Mithila,_Museums,_and_Memories__Travels_in_Bihar/|access-date=2021-02-26|website=The Maxwell School of Syracuse University|language=en}}</ref> The Crafts Council encouraged artists like Devi to move their work from floors and walls, onto handmade paper, which enabled them to sell these paintings.<ref name=":4">{{Cite news|last=Tripathi|first=Shailaja|date=2013-11-22|title=Madhubani beyond the living rooms|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/events/madhubani-beyond-the-living-rooms/article5380171.ece|access-date=2021-02-26|issn=0971-751X}}</ref> Devi encountered social resistance to her work in the early years, particularly in relation to social taboos concerning women in the public sphere.<ref name=":1" /> In an interview, Devi stated she initially painted in secret for two years, because of disapproval from her husband's family regarding her art.<ref name=":3" />

In addition to the Madhubani style, Devi was also skilled in the techniques of Sujni art, a lesser-known folk style in which traditional motifs and patterns are embroidered on cloth by hand.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite news|last=Balasubramaniam|first=Chitra|date=2019-06-20|title=Sujni, equally elegant twin of Kantha|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/society/history-and-culture/sujni-equally-elegant-twin-of-kantha/article28085065.ece|access-date=2021-02-26|issn=0971-751X}}</ref> Her work in Madhubani art was a mix of the 'kachni' (line drawing) and 'bharni' (coloured styles). Although the use of these styles was traditionally confined to members of a particular caste, Devi's work transcended social boundaries by embracing both.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />

Devi's work was repeatedly exhibited in Japan, where the establishment of a Mithila Art Museum allowed her to share her work. She visited Japan nine times over the course of her career, beginning in 1987, and worked at the Museum to create art, and teach techniques, along with fellow Madhubani artist, [[Mahasundari Devi]].<ref name=":2" /> Her works have also been exhibited in the United States of America, the United Kingdom, and France and is collected there in museums and private collections.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":4" /> Her work was featured in an exhibition titled 'Painting is my Everything', at the [[Asian Art Museum (San Francisco)|Asian Art Museum]] in San Francisco, as part of an exhibit on Madhubani art.<ref>{{Cite web|title='Painting is my Everything': Art from India's Mithila region|url=https://exhibitions.asianart.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2019/09/4507_18_Painting_Is_My_Everything_Large_Print_Labels_Final.pdf|url-status=live|website=Asian Art Museum}}</ref> Sujni-style embroidered panels made by Devi are a part of the collections of the [[National Gallery of Victoria]] in Australia.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Artists: Karpoori Devi|url=https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/explore/collection/artist/32708/|url-status=live|website=National Gallery of Victoria}}</ref>

Devi won multiple awards from the state government of Bihar and the union government of India during the course of her career, including the National Award for Sujni art in 1986 by the Ministry of Textiles, Union Government; a Bihar state art award for her work in Madhubani art in 1980, and a state government award for 'Best Craftsman' in 1983.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite web|title=मधुबनी पेंटिंग की शिल्पी कर्पूरी देवी का निधन|url=https://www.livehindustan.com/bihar/story-madhubani-painting-artist-karpuri-devi-dies-2660124.html|access-date=2021-02-26|website=Hindustan|language=hindi}}</ref>

Devi maintained a close professional and collaborative relationship with fellow Madhubani artist, [[Mahasundari Devi]], who was also her sister-in-law.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web|title=Madhubani art veteran Karpuri Devi dies at 94|url=https://www.outlookindia.com/newsscroll/madhubani-art-veteran-karpuri-devi-dies-at-94/1586860|url-status=live|access-date=2021-02-26|website=Outlook India}}</ref> In addition to teaching her daughter the traditional art techniques of Madhubani and Sujani art, Devi mentored and taught [[Dulari Devi (artist)|Dulari Devi]], a Padma Shri award-winning Madhubani artist.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-01-30|title=बिहार के दो दलित जिन्हें मिला पद्म श्री, जानें किस कला में हैं माहिर, 74 साल से नाच रहे हैं मांझी|url=https://www.jansatta.com/rajya/padma-shri-ramchandra-manjhi-and-dulari-devi-won-padma-shri-award-know-tale-of-two-artists-and-art/1626786/|access-date=2021-02-26|website=Jansatta|language=hi}}</ref><ref name=":1" />

== Personal life ==
Karpoori Devi was born and lived in the village of Ranti, in the [[Madhubani district]] of the state of [[Bihar]]. Her daughter, Moti Karn, is also a Madhubani artist.<ref name=":2" /> Her husband, Krishkant Das, also taught art in Ranti, Bihar.<ref name=":0" /> She died in 2019 after a prolonged illness.<ref>{{Cite web|title=मधुबनी पेंटिंग की विख्यात शिल्पी कर्पूरी देवी का निधन, BJP नेता गिरिराज सिंह ने यूं दी श्रद्धांजलि|url=https://khabar.ndtv.com/news/bihar/bihar-eminent-madhubani-painting-artist-karpuri-devi-passes-away-2078316|access-date=2021-02-26|website=NDTVIndia}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Devi, Karpoori}}
[[Category:1929 births]]
[[Category:2019 deaths]]
[[Category:Indian women artists]]
[[Category:Women artists from Bihar]]

Karpoori Devi - Revision history

>AngryHarpy at 09:43, 26 February 2021