Take A Peek Into The Art Of Marble Crafting
“Art reveals who we are and who we long to be” – Erwin McManus
When a piece of art takes shape, it goes through a series of phases, each significant and inextricable in its own right much like life itself. Maybe that’s why they say ‘art imitates life’. The finished product that we adorn and adore is the culmination of hard work, master craftsmanship, and creativity. But have you ever wondered how these handicrafts are actually made?
So let’s peek behind the curtain and take a look at how craftsmen chisel a fine piece of art from a rugged and jagged piece of Marble.
Marble as you already know is cherished all across India and handicrafts made out of it are hugely popular amongst art lovers around the world. The sheer glimmer and finesse in a perfectly crafted marble artifact is impeccable and it will make you fall in love with it almost instantly. So let’s begin and check out how marble handicrafts are sculpted.
Cherrypicking the Best Marble – Here’s how it all begins
The very first step of crafting the perfect art piece involves the selection process of only the best marble stone. There is an abundance of variants of marble to choose from but the finest quality stone is found in Makrana.
Rajasthan is the leading producer of marble stone in India with an incredible repertoire of world-class varieties. Apart from that, Rajasthan is also the land of Rajputs kings and is considered the cultural melting pot of Western India. In the ruling era, art and craft were at the forefront of activities that thrived the most and that was the time crafting of marble handicraft was introduced. Even today you can smell the lingering essence of Rajputana influence on marble handicrafts The Royal Guard is a prime example.
Traditional Sculpting by Master Craftsmen
Sculpting of marble stone is probably the process that requires the most amount of dexterity therefore it’s done by immensely skilled professionals. Mathura, Jaipur, Udaipur, and Bikaner styles of sculpting are very popular, especially for the distinct and their signature work.
The incredible intricacies involved in sculpting will leave you speechless. It is the same style of work that you’ll see on various ancient monuments and temples and even on the walls of the wonderful Taj Mahal. This craft flourished particularly during the Mughal and Rajput era and managed to leave its influence on all the major architectural gems built during that period.
Polishing, Gold Leafing and Design
After all the stones are sculpted into just the perfect shape, the entire surface is then buffed and polished. And all of this is done with hands with unmatched precision.
Once the sculpting and polishing are finished the shallow surface is then coated with a fine sheet of polish which lays the canvas for craftsmen to paint and decorate the item. These depressions are later filled with various colors, gemstones, metals, and other traditional decorative materials like the indigenous gold leaf work that gives it the perfect Rajasthani look.
Painting and Design
Painting is the process carried out when the entire sculpture is almost done. This is a painstaking process that can take up to months and even years just because the amount finesses required to skillfully outline and accentuate the fine sculpting work like eyes, lips, hairs, etc. is incredible. Right after painting and design, the craftsmen carefully review and examine the finished product and the final touches of class to make sure what reaches you is nothing short of a masterpiece. This entire process of creating a piece of marble artifact is long and tiring; serves as an eternal testament to the hard work and skill of our craftsmen. Every tiny stroke that goes behind making a marble handicraft brings with itself a unique story and that is what makes it so special. Art is all about life and history and Kuber brings you just that – art with soul. So be sure to check out our gorgeous marble handicrafts collection.
