Get to know about the nagash painting of Saudi Arabia. Nagash painting, also known as Al-Qatt Al-Asiri, adorns the interior walls of traditional Arabic homes.
Tradition in Saudi Arabia dictates that the man builds the house and the woman decorates it. The women of the Asir province express their creativity by painting frescos on the interior walls of their homes. Known as Al-Qatt Al-Asiri, the traditional folk art form is recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage. The paintings are paintings are also called nagash in Arabic.
The white gypsum walls provide the broad canvas for the home artists. They draw geometric lines, triangles, squares, diagonals and tree-like patterns in bright hues of blues, greens, yellows and reds. The patterns reflect the cultural and weaving heritage of the communities. While some communities draw simple open designs, others make more complex patterns edged with a black outline, adding structure to the design. Traditionally, the women used natural colours-yellow colour was extracted from turmeric, black from coal, blue from indigo dye and green from grass. They used brushes made from camel or goat hair. Often, the painting is a communal affair where the ladies of the house invite their female guests to contribute in the beautification of the nagash.
Picture Credit : Google
