Bihar is a state in eastern India divided by the Ganges river, an area which was once an important center for culture and learning. A Neolithic settlement has been discovered at Chirand which contains rock paintings similar to those found in Spain's Altamira and France's Lascaux regions. The tradition of painting has been handed down from generation to generation in the families of the Mithila and Bhojpur regions mainly by women. Painting was usually done on walls during festivals, religious events, and other milestones of the life cycle, like birth, Upanayanam (the sacred thread ceremony), and marriage. Other styles of this region include Tikuli, Manjusha, and Patna kalam.
History
Prehistoric and Early
Prehistoric rock paintings have been discovered in the Kaimur hills, Nawada and Jamui. A Neolithic settlement was also discovered in the thick of the alluvium, over the bank of the Ganges at Chirand. The rock paintings depict prehistoric lifestyle and natural environment. The paintings display the sun, moon, stars, animals, plants, trees, rivers and are believed to represent love towards nature. The paintings also highlight daily life of the early humans in Bihar, displaying hunting, running, dancing, and walking. The rock paintings in Bihar are not only identical to those in central and southern India, but also are similar to those in Europe and Africa. The rock paintings of Spain's Altamira and France's Lascaux are almost identical to those found in Bihar.
Mauryan Era
While we can be sure of Mauryan proficiency in Painting field based on the descriptions of Megasthenes, unfortunately no proper representative has been found to date. Many centuries later, the paintings of the Ajanta Caves, the oldest significant body of Indian painting, show there was a well-developed tradition, which may well stretch back to Mauryan times.
17th to mid-20th
Those who practiced this art form were the descendants of the Hindu artisans and painters. Facing Ban and persecution from the Mughal Emperor, Aurangzeb, these artisans found refuge, via Murshidabad, in Patna during the late 18th century. Though Patna Qualam was an offshoot of the well-known India's Miniature Painting but Unlike Mughal painting, which focused on the royalty and court scenes, flag bearers of Patna Qualam were deeply influenced by daily life of common man. The Patna Qualam flourished in Bihar during the early 18th to mid-20th centuries. In Patna they came under patronage of local Raja's, Zamindras, aristocracy and often Indophile scions of the early East India and started a unique form of painting which came to be known as the Company painting, or Patna School of Painting. Patna School of Painting shared the characteristics of the Bihar painters, but whereas the Mughal style depicted only royalty and court scenes, the Patna artists used painting to display common man's Daily life, livelihood, Rituals, puja's, bazaar scenes. They used the watercolours on paper and on mica. The style's subject matter evolved to include scenes of Indian daily life, local rulers, festivals, and ceremonies. This school of painting formed the basis for the formation of the College of Arts and Crafts, Patna under the leadership of Shri Radha Mohan.
Post Independence
Vernacular
Mithila Painting
One is Mithila painting, a style of Indian painting used in the Mithila region of Bihar. Traditionally, painting was one of the skills that was passed down from generation to generation in the families of the Mithila region, mainly by women. Painting was usually done on walls during festivals, religious events, and other milestones of the life cycle, like birth, Upanayanam (the sacred thread ceremony), and marriage. Mithila painting was traditionally done on huts' freshly plastered mud walls, but today it is also done on cloth, handmade paper, and canvas. Famous Mithila painters have included Smt Bharti Dayal, Mahasundari Devi, the late Ganga Devi, and Sita Devi. Mithila painting is also called Madhubani art. It mostly depicts human beings and their association with nature. Common scenes illustrate deities like Krishna, Ram, Shiva, Durga, Lakshmi, and Saraswati from ancient epics. Natural objects like the sun, moon, and religious plants like tulsi are also widely painted, along with scenes from the royal court and social events like weddings. Generally no space is left empty.