The Cat's Prey in Kalighat by Sonali Chitrakar

This striking Kalighat painting by Sonali Chitrakar presents a captivating portrayal of a cat gripping a bird in its mouth, encapsulating the raw and primal nature of predator and prey. The cat, painted with a pale cream body adorned with bold black spots, has an imposing presence, its sharp gaze piercing through the viewer with an introspective intensity. Its facial features are exaggerated, with almond-shaped, human-like eyes and prominent whiskers, enhancing the surreal quality of the piece. The cat’s ears are tinged with red, and its body is accentuated with delicate yet striking red lines around the neck, evoking a sense of ritualistic adornment. The bird, gripped tightly in the cat’s mouth, is rendered in a muted greenish-blue hue with meticulously patterned feathers, its lifeless eye open as if frozen in a moment of silent surrender. A dramatic touch is given by exposing the bird’s inner anatomy, a stylistic element often found in Kalighat paintings to emphasize morality and fate. The background is a warm yellow ochre, contrasting beautifully with the cat’s spotted coat and emphasizing its dominance in the composition. The sleek black border frames the scene, drawing attention to the dramatic tension between the two creatures. This artwork is a brilliant example of Kalighat’s satirical and symbolic storytelling, possibly alluding to themes of power, greed, or the inevitable cycle of life and death in a world where the strong prey upon the weak.

Each of our artworks are hand painted by master artists across India. We provide a digital authentication certificate with this artwork signed by the artist which will be sent over email after 3-4 days of delivery of the artwork.

The sizes mentioned are excluding the borders of the artwork.

Frames shown are for visual representation only and are not included with the artwork. We offer framing services on demand at additional costs. If you wish to get your artwork framed, please reach out to us on WhatsApp or email.

We take custom artwork orders, please use the WhatsApp chat below or email us at wecare@memeraki.com to discuss your requirements in more detail.

We ship worldwide, Our Prices are inclusive of GST/Taxes in India. For international orders, any specific custom duties you may encounter in your home country during the delivery has to borne by the buyer.

For all artworks except Lippan and Terracotta, we offer free shipping on orders above ₹999, a ₹249 flat rate is applicable to smaller order amounts.

For international artwork orders shipping charges of 4000 INR* are applicable.

For Lippan and Terracotta Artworks, We charge a Shipping rate on a per Kilogram basis.

*Extra charges may apply for both domestic and international deliveries in the following cases:

• International artwork orders where the artwork's smaller side measures more than 36 inches.
• Extra charges are applicable for Express Shipping. Contact support to check availability for your order.
• Orders with more than 2 product types in the cart.

All artworks are packed and couriered securely in a tube.

Ready To Ship/ In Stock artworks are shipped in under 2 weeks. We only accept return requests for Ready to Ship/ In stock artworks placed within a week from date of delivery. However, no returns can be accepted for international deliveries.

Made To Order artworks will take 2-3 weeks to be made and shipped once they are ready. Returns are not applicable on Made To Order artworks.

Once your order is placed, our team will stay in constant communication with the artist to track the progress and ensure the quality of your order. You will receive regular updates from us throughout this process.

All artworks on the website are hand painted from scratch by our master artists. This makes every artwork absolutely unique and the actual colour and overall artwork may vary slightly from the artwork image posted here.