Baua Devi is a Mithila painting artist from Jitwarpur village of Madhubani District in Bihar.
Mithila painting is an ancient folk art that originated in the region. It is recognized as a series
of complex geometric and linear patterns traced on the walls of a house's inner chambers. It
was later transferred to handmade paper and canvases. Baua Devi won the National Award in
1984 and received the Padma Shri in 2017. Baua Devi's work ranges from paintings on small
sheets to canvases up to 16-20 feet high,
giving her own interpretations to folk tales. She reworks the legend of Krishna in some,while
the grand wedding of Ram and Sita is the focus in others, with the emphasis on Sita’s
narrative. Despite the modernization in form and theme, she still prefers painting using natural
colours.
Black is made by blending soot and cow dung, green comes from leaves, white from rice
powder and red from vermilion. Her work is regularly exhibited in Spain, Paris and Japan. She
was the recipient of the National Award in 1984.