A Woman Twirling her Hair in Kalighat by Uttam Chitrakar

This Kalighat painting by Uttam Chitrakar is a poignant and classical secular depiction of a woman in a moment of quiet introspection. Originating near Kolkata, Kalighat art is widely celebrated for its ability to transform everyday domestic moods and personal human expressions into visually arresting, poetic statements using minimalist but powerful silhouettes.

At the center of this intimate composition is a woman seated in a graceful, kneeling posture on a patterned floor, her torso turned slightly away while her head is elegantly tilted. Her expression is heavy with contemplation, her large, almond-shaped Kalighat eyes are turned upward and to the side, staring into the distance as if lost in deep thought. Her long, lustrous black hair is gathered in her hands as she gently twirls a thick strand, a traditional iconographic gesture in Indian art that symbolizes anxiety, anticipation and romantic daydreaming (viraha).

She is beautifully attired in a white sari adorned with a simple, contrasting thick black border. The fabric is rendered with the Kalighat school's signature shading and close-set vertical pleats. She wears simple yet elegant silver bangles and armlets that trace the curves of her limbs. Directly behind her is a large, rounded bolster cushion decorated with radiating blue and white stripes, providing a sense of aristocratic comfort and grounding her in a private, domestic interior space.

She rests upon a yellow floor canvas textured with a diagonal cross-hatched diamond pattern. The backdrop features a warm cream wall that pushes her silhouette directly into the immediate foreground. Framing the top of the canvas are beautifully draped grey curtains with regular, scalloped folds, a signature theatrical framing device borrowed from 19th-century European stage designs that is a traditional hallmark of classical Kalighat compositions.

The painting features the Kalighat school’s signature economy of line, utilizing broad, continuous strokes to capture the fluid grace of the female form and rhythmic patterning to establish a rich texture. This work beautifully captures the essence of the Kalighat secular tradition, merging everyday emotional vulnerability with the spirited, expressive energy of Bengal’s regional folk heritage.

Each of our artworks are hand painted by master artists across India. We provide a digital authentication certificate with this artwork signed by the artist which will be sent over email after 3-4 days of delivery of the artwork.

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Due to high demand for artworks from this artist, the delivery timelines are currently 1-3 weeks.

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All MeMeraki artworks are hand-painted. In rare occasions, artist may face delays due to weather, health, prior commitments or force majeure. Our team will reach out to you with revised timelines in case of such delays. We appreciate your understanding and patience in such situations.

All artworks on the website are hand painted from scratch by our master artists. This makes every artwork absolutely unique and the actual colour and overall artwork may vary slightly from the artwork image posted here.