Artwork
A babu and bibi embracing
A babu and bibi embracing is a paint painting by Ranjit Chitrakar. It dates from 1996 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Ranjit Chitrakar painted *A babu and bibi embracing* between 1995 and 1998. It’s a Kalighat style work, long and thin like a scroll.
He reused an old Bengali scene but swapped the usual colors for pale lilacs and pinks. Those dyes came from seasonal flowers—bright, fresh, and his own twist.
Check out more Kalighat scrolls at the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Overview
Created between 1995 and 1998, this work by Ranjit Chitrakar follows the long, narrow format typical of Kalighat scroll paintings. The composition presents a Bengali babu in an intimate embrace with his bibi, a motif that recurs in nineteenth‑century popular art. The piece is designed for easy rolling and storage alongside the artist’s other scrolls.
Subject & Meaning
The scene depicts a stereotypical babu—a well‑to‑do Bengali gentleman—holding his bibi, or mistress, in a close, affectionate pose. The pairing reflects domestic and social narratives common in Kalighat imagery, where such encounters often comment on class, romance, and everyday life in colonial Bengal.
Technique & Style
While the drawing adheres to the linear outlines and flat modeling of traditional Kalighat art, Chitrakar departs from historic palettes by applying pale lilac and pink hues derived from seasonal flowers. These fresh pigments give the figures a subtle, contemporary vibrancy that contrasts with the conventional earth tones of earlier works.
History & Provenance
Ranjit Chitrakar, a practitioner of the Kalighat scroll tradition, produces these paintings on commission. The work’s elongated format allows it to be rolled for transport and storage, a practical feature inherited from the scroll medium. It remains part of the artist’s private collection, reflecting ongoing demand for customized Kalighat pieces.
Artist & collection
Artist
