How to Authenticate a Gond Painting: Tips for Buyers & Collectors

Understand the origins of Gond art
Look at the materials and medium
Recognize the signature styles and patterns
Artist Information and trusted platforms
Handmade vs Print: How to Tell?
How to spot a fake painting?
To know more about Gond art, check out our blogs -

Gond paintings are a vibrant form of tribal art created by the Gond community, primarily from Madhya Pradesh, India. These paintings are characterized by their intricate patterns, bold colors, and depictions of nature, folklore, and mythology. They are a visual celebration of the Gond people's cultural heritage and their deep connection with the natural world.

In recent years, Gond paintings have traveled from the tribal villages of India to urban homes, galleries, and international art shows. Known for their intricate detailing, unique patterns, narrative style, and storytelling rooted in nature and mythology, Gond art is more than just an art form, it is a living tradition.

With the growing popularity of this indigenous art form, there comes a challenge - how can one distinguish a genuine Gond painting from a mass-produced imitation?

Understand the origins of Gond art

Originating in the tribal communities of central India, particularly Madhya Pradesh, Gond art was traditionally painted on the walls of homes during festivals and rituals. The Pardhan Gonds, a sub-group known for their musical and storytelling traditions, were instrumental in evolving wall art into portable forms. The art became widely recognized after Jangarh Singh Shyam, a pioneering Gond artist, was discovered in the 1980s. This gave rise to a generation of tribal artists who painted with acrylics on paper and canvas, while retaining the essence of their folklore and symbolism.

Getting to know the Baigas and Gonds of Kanha

Look at the materials and medium

Authentic Gond paintings are hand-drawn on handmade or cartridge paper and sometimes canvas. Artists traditionally used natural dyes and pigments, though today acrylic colors are more commonly used for vibrancy and durability. One must be cautious of prints or digital reproductions. These are often easy to distinguish as they lack the texture and subtle imperfections of hand-painted art. If the artwork is carefully observed at an angle under light, one will be able to make out variations in paint thickness and fine brushwork that a genuine painting will often show.

Recognize the signature styles and patterns

Natural themes like animals, trees, rivers, and the cosmos are recurring themes in Gond art, indicating their proximity and connection to nature as a tribe. These are not just decorative but also symbolic, often representing stories or tribal beliefs. The most distinctive hallmark of Gond paintings is forms filled with intricate patterns like fine dots, dashes, lines or miniature motifs.

Apart from these elements that remain constant, each Gond artist also brings a personal style. For example, artist Kailash Pradhan's work displays three signature styles - the unique star- shaped pattern, called "Cher Chera", inspired by the Gond community's Cherchera festival; Parsa Paan pattern which resembles betel leaves, which are offered as a symbol of respect at significant events like weddings and social gatherings, and are also used in traditional medicine for digestion and respiratory issues amidst the Gond tribe; and the Khaddar pattern, inspired by the fibres of Khadi cotton cloth.

The Life of the Jungle in Gond by Kailash Pradhan

Gond paintings are also known for their rhythmic flow. The composition rarely feels static. The lines and patterns create a visual rhythm, echoing music or chant. While identifying authentic Gond paintings, always look for stylized creatures like peacocks, elephants, deer, tigers, fish, trees of life and more, rendered in imaginative ways rather than realism.

Artist Information and trusted platforms

Before buying a Gond painting, be sure to check the information about the artist’s name and village. Always ask for a certificate of authenticity. Ensure that the product you are buying is from a trusted seller that sources it directly from the artists, or from government organizations or artist villages. Check for the context or story behind the artwork. Gond art is narrative, and the artists and platforms will happily share the meaning behind their work.

Handmade vs Print: How to Tell?

If you are not sure whether an artwork is hand-drawn or printed, try these steps:

Use a magnifying glass or zoom-in feature on your phone. Machine prints will show uniform dot patterns or pixelation. Feel the surface of the painting, hand-painted works have a variety of textures such as raised paint, visible brush strokes or small imperfections. A look at the back of the painting can also speak about its nature, a genuine acrylic painting on paper will sometimes have minor paint bleed or smudges.

How to spot a fake painting?

Watch out for these signs while buying an authentic Gond artwork -

If there is no artist name or information about the artist mentioned, or there is a vague tribal painting label, the piece might be an imitation.
If you see many perfectly identical pieces being sold, it indicates mass production, as each artwork that is hand-painted even by the same artist has differences and cannot look identical.
If the artwork has a glossy finish that looks printed or coated, it is likely to be a print, as hand-painted artworks have texture.
If you see paintings that have themes that seem generic, touristy or lack imaginative and storytelling depth, they may not be authentic Gond pieces, as these are characteristics central to Gond art.
Last but not the least, if the Gond paintings are being sold at prices that seem too good to be true, they are imitations. Any hand-painted artwork is priced taking into consideration the cost of the materials as well as the time, effort and skill required by the artist to create it, thus making authentic handmade artworks being priced higher than mass-produced ones.
Every genuine Gond painting carries within it a story, a cultural memory and the skill of an artist rooted in tradition. By learning to spot the difference between the real and the replica, we not only enrich our collection but also become participants in the preservation of India’s living tribal heritage, choosing to invest mindfully in supporting the artists continuing the rich tradition of Gond art.