Thewa

Last updated

Thewa.jpg

Thewa is a special art of jewelry making which involves fusing of intricately worked-out sheet gold on molten glass. It evolved in Pratapgarh district, Rajasthan India. Its origin dates back to the rajput era. [1]

Contents

Thewa is a traditional art of fusing 23K Gold with multicoloured glass which had almost completely died out, till Shri Mahesh Rajsoni was awarded with Padmashri award in 2015, for excellency in this art craft . And this art craft flourished after celebrating 1st Padmashri Award in the Rajsoni family . The family Who is the originator of this art craft.


Process

The glass is treated by a special process to have glittering effects, which in turn highlights the intricate gold work. The whole Thewa piece is hand crafted over a period of one month by skilled artisans. Thewa, an art that pulsates with life, caught seemingly in movement, in motifs used on jewellery, which shows the culture, heritage and tales of romance and valour of Rajasthan with nature and happiness depicting the art of the fine craftsmanship. The process of making thewa work is detailed; time consuming and intricate, taking up to a month to complete each piece. It starts with broken pieces of terracotta, finely ground, mixed with chemicals and oil to produce a thick paste. The paste spread on a wooden base has a 23carat gold sheet of 40gauge thickness set onto the mixture and the free hand design etched on it. Black paint spread over the gold sheet that highlights the design so it becomes clearly visible for further detailed work with fine tools. The craftsman removes the excess gold creating a design often based on the Hindu mythology or Mughal court scenes, historical events or with flora and fauna motifs.

Origin

Nathu ji Soni invented the process in 1767; the secrets of the craft that passed directly from father to son over the generations remains it in the family only, who call themselves 'Raj-Sonis’. Many of the members from this family have been awarded by UNESCO, National & State Government. Some of the finest examples of this unique form of decorative art are in local museum collections in India as well as abroad including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Victoria & Albert.

Other Origin: THEWA is a word from the local Rajasthani language which means “SETTING”. A 23ct gold piece is first beaten into a very thin sheet. Intricate designs are inscribed onto these gold sheets using very fine chisel. This gold sheet, called as “Thewa Ki Patti” is fixed to a lac-resin compound spread on a board by slightly warming the lac and then pressing the gold sheet onto it. An open work pattern is pierced thru these gold sheets placed on the lac-resin covered board by knocking off the portions which ultimately creates the intricate design. The gold sheet is gently peeled off by heating it.

Like the rest of Rajasthan handicrafts, the glass works of Pratapgarh are unique in both design and usage. Besides beautiful and traditional items such as handicraft items, glass photo frames, trays, glass art ware, glass jewelry boxes, lamp shades, flower vases, crystal wine glasses, flasks, glass pots, antique crystal chandeliers, glass coasters, glass lamp shades and glass paintings, Pratapgarh is renowned for its Thewa work. Colored glass base, embossed with golden miniature artwork is the special attraction of the Thewa work. Floral patterns are etched on gold foil and superimposed on glass moulds and the glassware is cast in such moulds. Thewa pendants are famous pieces of jewelry and their blazing hues and exquisite patterns attract women across the world.

Ramprasad rajsoni is first awardee in the thewa-kala for his master-craftmanship in 1966. Like many others of the local craftsmen,Jagdish Lal Raj Soni, Beni Ram Soni,Girish Rajsoni craftspersons from Pratapgarh in Rajasthan state in India were also awarded Shilp Guru Award for Thewa art.

Recently one craftsman Mahesh Raj Soni of the traditional artisan family has won another national award and Padma Shree 2015 for his excellent Thewa handicraft and with this his family has been featured in the LIMCA yearbook 2011 as "Eight national awards in one family". [2] Hitesh RajSoni (2004), Girish Rajsoni have been awarded by "UNESCO Seal of Excellence Award". They are among the youngest personalities in Rajsoni Family who got this Award. One such Young Artist Raghav rajsoni is the only one by whom Thewa kala got honoured in Taraz Kazaksthan as the first International award .

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Embroidery of India</span> Any of the various styles of embroidery indigenous to India

Embroidery in India includes dozens of embroidery styles that vary by region and clothing styles. Designs in Indian embroidery are formed on the basis of the texture and the design of the fabric and the stitch. The dot and the alternate dot, the circle, the square, the triangle, and permutations and combinations of these constitute the design.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shree Lal Joshi</span> Indian artist (1931–2018)

Shree Lal Joshi was an Indian Chippa caste artist of phad painting, a form of popular folk painting of Rajasthan.

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to crafts:

Jagdish Lal Raj Soni is a well known craftperson from Pratapgarh in Rajasthan state in India. He was awarded Shilp Guru Award in 2002 for Thewa art.

Mohanlal Chaturbhuj Kumhar is an artisan of Rajasthan. He won the Shilp Guru award in 2003 for his skills in terracotta sculpture. Born in 1939 he is resident of Nathdwara. In 23rd Surajkund Crafts Mela. Mohan Lal Chaturbhuj of Rajasthan was also awarded the Kalamani for his works in terracotta. He has participated in promoting this traditional art in various countries like Spain, USA and Australia. The Government of India awarded him the civilian honour of Padma Shri in 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bidriware</span> Indian metal handicraft

Bidriware is a metal handicraft from the city of Bidar in Karnataka, India. It was developed in the 14th century C.E. during the rule of the Bahmani Sultans. The term "bidriware" originates from the township of Bidar, which is still the chief center of production. The metal used is white brass that is blackened and inlaid with silver. As a native art form, Bidriware obtained a Geographical Indications (GI) registry on 3 January 2006.

Sankho Chaudhuri was an Indian sculptor, and a noted figure in the art scene of India. (Although named Naranarain in due family tradition, he was more widely known by his pet name Sankho). Ram Kinker Baij was his teacher. He began close to cubism and then was influenced by István Beöthy, whom he had met in Paris. His themes have included the female figure and wildlife. He has worked in a wide range of media and produced large-scale reliefs and mobiles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mary Lee Hu</span> American artist, goldsmith and educator

Mary Lee Hu is an American artist, goldsmith, and college level educator known for using textile techniques to create intricate woven wire jewelry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pratapgarh district, Rajasthan</span> District of Rajasthan in India

Pratapgarh district is the 33rd district of Rajasthan, created on 26 January 2008. It is a part of Udaipur Division and has been carved out from the erstwhile tehsils of Chittorgarh, Udaipur and Banswara districts. Pratapgarh town is the administrative headquarters of the district.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crafts of India</span> Overview of Indian crafts

The crafts of India are diverse, rich in history, culture and religion. The craft of each state in India reflect the influence of different empires. Throughout centuries, crafts have been embedded as a culture and tradition within rural communities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Traditional metal working in Mexico</span>

Traditional metal working in Mexico dates from the Mesoamerican period with metals such as gold, silver and copper. Other metals were mined and worked starting in the colonial period. The working of gold and silver, especially for jewelry, initially declined after the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire. However, during the colonial period, the working of metals rose again and took on much of the character traditional goods still have. Today, important metal products include those from silver, gold, copper, iron, tin and more made into jewelry, household objects, furniture, pots, decorative objects, toys and more. Important metal working centers include Taxco for silver, Santa Clara del Cobre for copper, Celaya for tin and Zacatecas for wrought iron.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Paul Miller</span>

John Paul Miller was an American jewellery designer and goldsmith, who also produced films, photographs and paintings. Stephen Harrison, decorative arts curator at the Cleveland Museum of Art, compares Miller's work with that of René Lalique and Louis Comfort Tiffany.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mahesh Raj Soni</span> Indian craftsman

Mahesh Raj Soni is an Indian craftsman specialising in the traditional art of Thewa, a Rajasthani jewellery making tradition using glass and gold leaves and is one of the surviving exponents of the art form which has roots in Pratapgarh, Rajasthan. He is a member of Rajasthan Thewa Kala Sansthan and has featured in the Limca Book of World Records in its 2011 edition. Soni, who is a cancer survivor, was honoured by the Government of India in 2015 with Padma Shri, the fourth highest Indian civilian award.

Janet Payne Bowles was an American art educator, metalsmith, and jewelry designer from Indianapolis, Indiana, who is best known for creating intricate Arts-and-Crafts-style jewelry, flatware, and other small objects. Although the self-taught artisan had little commercial success during her lifetime, she became famous after designing a jewelry collection for actress Maude Adams to wear in a stage production of As You Like It. Sir Caspar Purdon Clarke and J. P. Morgan commissioned Payne Bowles to make severals pieces of metalwork and jewelry for their collections. She also regularly exhibited her art in the United States and Europe and taught art classes at Shortridge High School in Indianapolis from 1912 until her retirement in 1942. Examples of Payne Bowles's work are included in the collections of the Indianapolis Museum of Art. She also wrote book reviews for Modern Art in the early years of her career and contributed articles to The Craftsman in 1904, Handicraft in 1909 and in 1910, and Jewelers' Circular Weekly in 1911. In addition, Payne Bowles provided illumination paintings for limited-edition books such as The Second Epistle of John (1901). Her novel, Gossamer to Steel, was published in 1917.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gopal Prasad Sharma</span> Indian artist (born 1964)

Gopal Prasad Sharma is an internationally recognised Indian artist associated with the traditional miniature art of Rajasthan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Byzantine enamel</span>

The craft of cloisonné enameling is a metal and glass-working tradition practiced in the Byzantine Empire from the 6th to the 12th century AD. The Byzantines perfected an intricate form of vitreous enameling, allowing the illustration of small, detailed, iconographic portraits.

Girish Rajsoni was the 2015 winner of the Shilp Guru award for thewa and gold filigree on glass. He is from Pratapgarh, Rajasthan, India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abdul Kadar Khatri</span> Indian hand block printing master craftsman (1961–2019)

Abdul Kadar Khatri (1961–2019) was an Indian master craftsman of traditional hand block printing known as Bagh Print. He was the son of Ismail Sulemanji Khatri, founder of Bagh print. He along with his father saved the tradition of Textile printing of Bagh from extinction and taken it to new heights. His artifacts have brought laurels to India and particular to Madhya Pradesh state from across the globe by showcasing his exceptional talent in Bagh Print in many countries. His family has been working in the trade of Traditional Bagh Hand Block print since the 7th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mīnākārī</span>

Minakari or Meenakari is the process of painting and colouring the surfaces of metals and ceramic tiles through enameling, originating in Safavid Iran. It is practiced as an art form, and commercially produced mainly in Iran, India, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. Minakari art usually involves intricate designs, and is applied as a decorative feature to serving dishes, containers, vases, frames, display ornaments, and jewelry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rajasthan Day</span>

Rajasthan Day or Rajasthan Day also called the Foundation Day of Rajasthan is celebrated on 30 March. On this day many cultural activities organised at Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan and also at every district headquarters in Rajasthan. On March 30, 1949, the princely states of Jodhpur, Jaipur, Jaisalmer and Bikaner were merged to form 'Greater Rajasthan Union'. Since then the celebration of Rajasthan Day started.

References

  1. "Welcome to District Pratapgarh, Rajasthan". Archived from the original on 14 July 2011. Retrieved 14 July 2011.
  2. Dainik Bhaskar, J L Nehru Marg, Jaipur Edition, 30 April 2011