About the Artwork +
This Kalighat painting by Uttam Chitrakar beautifully channels the historic tradition of anthropomorphic animal satire, utilizing a musical performance between two felines to evoke the lively, artistic spirit of Bengal's cultural gatherings. Historically developing near the Kalighat Temple in Kolkata, this art form frequently casts animals, particularly cats, in roles mimicking upper-class human behaviors, vanity and creative pursuits to comment on urban society through a comedic lens. In this scene, the traditional focus shifts toward a celebration of classical music, transforming a domestic pairing into a spirited performance of melody and rhythm.
Seated on the left is the smaller of the two cats, leaning into its instrument with a posture of intense artistic focus. This feline musician tilts its head straight upward, its sharp almond-shaped eye fixed on its partner as it reaches down with its front limbs to actively strike a tabla (percussion instrument). Opposite it on the right sits the larger companion cat, mirroring the musical enthusiasm. It is depicted in a commanding, stylized crouch with a long neck and high-pointed ears. This cat delicately cradles the rounded, patterned tanpura (stringed instrument), while producing melody by plucking its strings. Its mouth is slightly open, as if keeping time or singing along to the rhythm.
Rendered with the voluptuous, rounded physical curves characteristic of the Kalighat style, both the cats feature a white coat decorated with bold, fluidly painted black patches and a sweeping dark tail. An elaborate golden chain necklace is wrapped around their throat and matching delicate golden bracelets adorn their paws. Adding a wonderful layer of natural harmony to the duet are two pitch-black crows that act as an attentive audience and backup chorus. One crow is on the lower left floor, tilting its beak upward toward the string player, while the second bird perches high on the curved back of the larger cat on the right, looking outward into the performance space.
The painting features the Kalighat school’s signature economy of line, using thick, sweeping continuous black contours to define the heavy volume of the animals in single, confident brushstrokes. The palette relies on a highly sophisticated, minimalist contrast between the monochromatic coats of the cats and crows, the rich wooden tones of the instruments and the warm ochre background wash. By documenting the timeless joy of musical collaboration through legendary regional fables and centuries-old folk art conventions, this piece celebrates the ever-evolving storytelling spirit of Bengal’s rich cultural heritage.
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Delivery Timelines and Returns +
Returns and Replacements
We offer replacements or repairs if your artwork arrives damaged or has a quality issue. As each artwork is handcrafted, we do not accept returns or refunds for orders received in the expected condition.
Delivery Timeline
This artwork will be Made to Order and will take
2-3 weeks
to be made and shipped.
Once your order is placed, our team stays in constant communication with the artist to track the progress and
ensure the quality of your order. You will receive regular updates from us throughout this process.
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.
Colour Disclaimer+
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.