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A Kathakali figure, rendered in the leather puppetry tradition of Andhra Pradesh, gives this wall art its theatrical presence. Artisans from the puppeteer families of Nimmalakunta in Anantapur district work the hide the same way they build their Tholu Bommalata shadow puppets, with bold linework and saturated colour. The piece measures about 32 by 22 inches and can hold a feature wall alone. It reaches you through Studio Moya, and small variations between pieces are part of the hand work.
Keep it away from direct sunlight and moisture to preserve its vibrant colors and delicate craftsmanship. Clean gently with a soft, dry cloth.
Each piece is handcrafted, so slight variations in colour, texture and dimension are natural and celebrate its handmade origin.
The craft behind this piece is Tholu Bommalata, the leather shadow puppetry of Andhra Pradesh, kept alive by puppeteer families in Nimmalakunta village of Anantapur district. These families once travelled from village to village with lamp-lit screens, performing epics through the night. Wall art like this one is the same craft turned to a new use, letting the figures live on a wall instead of a screen.
It starts with the hide. The leather is cleaned, scraped and stretched, then dried until it is thin, stiff and pale, a surface that traditionally lets light glow through a finished puppet. Preparing it well takes days.
The figure comes next. The artisan draws the Kathakali form directly onto the prepared hide, working from a repertoire of theatrical characters that these families have rendered for generations. Kathakali itself is the classical dance-drama of Kerala, and its painted face, wide skirt and towering headgear give the artist a naturally dramatic subject. Nothing about the pose is accidental.
Colour goes on in flat, saturated fields, with the linework carrying the detail. Reds, greens, yellows and blacks dominate, applied so the figure stays bold at a distance and intricate up close. In the puppet tradition many pieces are also finely perforated so they sparkle against a lamp, and the same piercing often decorates wall pieces.
Finally the panel is trimmed and finished for hanging. Every stage is hand work, from hide to headgear. No two figures ever match exactly.
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Leather Puppetry is a traditional craft from Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, where painted goat or deer hide is transformed into intricate puppets depicting nature and mythology for vibrant folk performances.
