Warli Paintings. Indian Tribal Antique Folk Art. Unique Collectible and Gift for All Occasions. Nestled at the foot of the Western Ghats in Maharashtra, India, is the settlement of an ancient tribe known as the Warlis. These tribal people, who survive on forest produce and worship nature, have carved an international niche for themselves by virtue of their artistry. What originated as a domestic ritual of ceremonial beautification is now revered as a folk art of immense value. Artist and scholars believe the painting style to have originated sometime during the tenth century AD.

Warli paintings express everyday life using extremely basic object forms and just one color - white - on a simple mud base. The painting style is close to pre-historic cave paintings. It breaks the barrier of three-dimensional rendering and the objects seldom overlap. The core philosophy and social history of a tribal society are conveyed through these paintings in all their humble renderings. Each painting is usually an entire scene that contains various elements of nature including people, animals, trees, hills etc. Warli paintings are characterized by their depiction of triangular humans and animals with stick-like hands and legs, geometrical designs with rows of dots and dashes. Straight lines were rare in Warli paintings. A series of dots and dashes made one line. Events like a marriage, a dance, sowing, harvesting or hunting are the primary themes. Birds, squirrels, monkeys, snakes and other animals are frequently depicted. Natural elements like streams and rocks are also featured. The themes are often repetitive and symbolic in nature.

However, unlike the other folk arts in India, Warlis do not narrate mythology or epic, but depict their simple social life through their art. The prevalence of nature in the Warli paintings indicates that these people not only survive on forest, but they are actually a part of nature herself.