Description
This vibrant set of three hand-painted wooden birds is a significant piece of Indian heritage craft, collected during the January 1994 Craft World Tours expedition to Orissa (Odisha) led by Lesley Butterworth.
These carvings originate from the artisan villages surrounding Bhubaneswar, likely from the world-renowned “heritage village” of Raghurajpur, famous for its Chitraker (painter) community. Traditionally carved from light local wood, they are finished with a unique clay-and-glue base before being intricately hand-painted. This set features the classic Odisha folk aesthetic: bold “dot and stripe” motifs, stylized fanned tails, and a warm earth-tone palette. These birds are not merely decorative but are representative of the “Kala Bhoomi” style of traditional toys and ritual objects found in the eastern tribal belt of India.
Condition Note: Excellent vintage condition. Collected in 1994 and remarkably well-preserved. The hand-painted pigments remain crisp and vibrant. No structural damage to the wood or delicate tail sections.
