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Indian Painting
 The
earliest Indian paintings were the rock paintings of pre-historic
times, the petroglyphs as found in places like Bhimbetka, and some
of them are older than 5500 BC. Such works continued and after
several millennia, in the 7th century, carved pillars of Ellora,
Maharashtra state present a fine example of Indian paintings, and
the colors, mostly various shades of red and orange, were derived
from minerals. Thereafter, frescoes of Ajanta and Ellora Caves
appeared. India’s Buddhist literature is replete with examples of
texts which describe that palaces of kings and aristocratic class
were embellished with paintings, but they have largely not survived.
But, it is believed that some form of art painting was practiced
during that time.
Indian Paintings can be broadly classified as the murals and
miniatures. Murals are huge works executed on the walls of solid
structures, as in the Ajanta Caves and the Kailashnath temple.
Miniature paintings are executed on a very small scale on perishable
material such as paper and cloth. The Palas of Bengal were the
pioneers of miniature painting in India. The art of miniature
painting reached its glory during the Mughal period. The tradition
of miniature paintings was carried forward by the painters of
different Rajasthani schools of painting like the Bundi, Kishangarh,
Jaipur, Marwar and Mewar. The Ragamala paintings also belong to this
school.
Indian paintings provide an aesthetic continuum that extends from
the early civilization to the present day. From being essentially
religious in purpose in the beginning, Indian painting has evolved
over the years to become a fusion of various cultures and
traditions. The Indian painting was exposed to Greco-Roman as well
as Iranian and Chinese influences. Cave paintings in different parts
of India bear testimony to these influences and a continuous
evolution of new idioms is evident. Indian paintings traditions go
back to antiquity, as is evident from the murals of Ajanta, Ellora
and other frescoes, the Buddhist palm leaf manuscripts, the Jain
texts and the Deccan, Mughal and Kangra schools of miniature Indian
painting.
Indian Painting is an old tradition, with ancient texts outlining
theories of color and and anecdotal accounts suggesting that it was
common for households to paint their doorways or indoor rooms where
guests resided.
Cave paintings from Ajanta, Bagh and Sittanvasal and temple
paintings testify to a love of naturalism. Indian paintings provide
an aesthetic continuum that extends from the early civilization to
the present day. This form of art in India is vivid and lively,
refined and sophisticated and bold and vigorous at the same time.
From being essentially religious in purpose in the beginning, Indian
paintings have evolved over the years to become a fusion of various
traditions which influenced them.
Murals (Frescoes)
 Murals
in India date back to times beyond the pages of history. Painting
murals is intrinsically linked to Indian painting traditions. In
fact, murals are considered to be the earliest evidence of Indian
paintings unearthed from the remnants of ancient civilization. India
has a rich tradition of paintings since ancient times. In fact, in
classical texts like Kamasutra of Vatsyanana, painting is considered
as one of the 64 arts while Vishnudharmottarapurana accords it the
status of the supreme art. It is also accepted as the giver of all
deeds i.e. Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha.
The earliest paintings appear in the form of cave or rock wall
paintings called Murals in pre historic India, in the region of
Uttar Pradesh and Central India. These mural paintings are executed
on bare rocks or diversely prepared supports and grounds or
plasters, and the colors materials are derived from the natural
materials like terra verte, red ochre, chalk, and yellow-ochre mixed
with animal fat.
The figures of human beings and animals, hunting and family scenes
are the central themes of these murals, which convey the observant
eye and the trained hand even in man’s savage state.
According to the Vinaya Pitaka, the noted courtesan Amrapali of
Vaishali instructed the painters to paint on the walls of her palace
the figures of kings, traders, and merchants seen by them. It was by
seeing the portrait of Mauryan ruler Bimbisara painted on the wall
that she lost her heart to him. There are also numerous references
to Chittagaras or picture halls or galleries maintained by the
rulers in the ancient texts. Painting referred as Alekhya was a
medium of expression of artist’s deepest instincts and emotions
reconciled and integrated with his social experiences and cultural
heritage.
Miniature Painting
 IThe
culture and history of the western Himalayas gave birth, to an Art
form in the17th Century, which we now know as the Miniature
Paintings. Though known specimens of this art form can be traced
only to the latter part of the 18 th Century, one has every reason
to believe that this art form existed way before the datable
specimens.
The themes of these paintings included the Ragas or musical codes of
Indian Classical music. There were three primary schools of Indian
Miniature Paintings - the Rajput, the Mughal and the Deccan schools.
The colorful illuminations, which captured the fancy of the royalty
and aristocracy, emerged in the medieval period. The illustrated
manuscripts of Jains and Buddhists, and the flowering of the Mughal,
Rajput, and Deccan Miniatures are noted for their meticulous
execution and artistic skills. The fine stroke of brushes conveyed
the themes from the Ramayana, Mahabharata, Bhagvata Purana,
Rasikpriya, Rasamanjiri, etc.These masterpieces of yore have a
universal appeal which still touch the right chord of the audience.
The irony of history never ceases to amaze. The mighty Himalayas
nurtured in its western valleys, a School of Paintings known as the
“Miniature”. This intricate school of art was characterized by
delicate brushwork and existed in the forms of ‘illuminations'
(Drawings included in a book, especially in medieval manuscripts) or
normal paintings. Miniature Paintersused varied substances for
coloring their drawings, namely- minerals, vegetables, precious
stones, indigo, conch shells, pure gold and silver.
Madhubani Painting
 Madhubani,
a village nestled in the State of Bihar, literally translated means
the forest of honey. The village is acclaimed worldwide for its folk
paintings called Madhubani paintings or Maithil Paintings. Madhubani
paintings were done by the womenfolk on the walls of the houses at
the auspicious occasions. Women from the castes of Maithil Brahmins
and Maithil Kayasths were the primary practitioners of this folk
painting.
The painting was executed on smooth mud walls plastered with cow
dung. Often, a coat of whitewash was also applied before actually
starting the process of the painting. Traditionally, vegetable
colors mixed with oil and milk or gum were employed. The primary
colors in the madubani paintings were pink, yellow, blue, red,
green, black and white. A piece of rag tied to a twig or a sliver of
bamboo frayed at the end was used as a brush.
At the time of decorating the wall, women of the household and even
from the neighborhood used to come together, the most experienced
woman used to take the charge and drew outlines of the figures.
Once, the outlines were sketched the other women used to fill in the
colors in the shapes. Young girls were usually assigned the task of
holding the pots of paint and preparation of paintbrushes. The idea
was that they should get well acquainted with the ritual and
technique of painting by the time they leave for their husband’s
house.
Maithil Brahmins paintings can best be described as casual
collection of figures, which seem to float like aimless creatures in
a single flat plane yet gracefully harmonize with each other in the
picture space. There is ample use of the blues, yellows, pinks, and
reds in these fantasy paintings where the figure seems to have a
waiving vitality.
It was a creative media to reach the divinity and bow’s one head in
deep reverence for his blessings and goodness. Madhubani Paintings
continue to fascinate all and one for their lively yet innocent
depiction of themes which are humane on one hand and divine on the
other hand.
Rajput Painting
 Rajput
painting originated in the royal states of Rajasthan, somewhere
around the late 16th and early 17th century. The Mughals ruled
almost all the princely states of Rajasthan at that time and because
of this; most of the schools of Rajput Painting in India reflect
strong Mughal influence. Each of the Rajput kingdoms evolved a
distinctive style. However, similarities and common features can
still be found in the paintings of different territories.
One can also observe the dominance of Chaurapanchasika group style
in Indian Rajasthani Paintings. The main themes around which
Rajasthani Paintings of India revolved include the Great epics of
Ramayana and the Mahabharata, the life of Lord Krishna, landscapes
and humans. Rajput paintings of India were also done on the walls of
palaces, inner chambers of the forts, havelis, etc.
Starting from the 16th century, when the Rajput Painting originated,
numerous schools emerged.
Amber and Jaipur - The paintings of Amber and Jaipur show
strong Mughal influence. However, at the same time, the bold
compositions and use of abstractions reflected regional
characteristics. The 18th and early 19th century saw Rajput
paintings illustrating episodes from the life of Krishna. The other
popular themes of the 19th century were Ragamala and devotional
subjects.
Bikaner - Rajasthani paintings of Bikaner were also based on
Mughal tradition. Apart from the Mughal style, the paintings of
Bikaner also reflect marked influence of Deccan paintings. During
the late 18th century, the city started showing conservative Rajput
styles with smoothness and abstractions. However, they were devoid
of any pomposity and flamboyance.
Bundi - Rajput paintings started originating in Bundi around
the late 16th century and reflected heavy Mughal influence. Wall
paintings, dating back to the reign of Rao Ratan Singh (1607-1631),
are good examples of Bundi style of paintings. The time of Rao
Chattar Sal (1631-1658) and Bhao Singh (1658-1681) saw great
emphasis on court scenes as themes. Other themes include those based
on the lives of nobles, lovers and ladies.
Kota - Kota paintings look very natural in their appearance
and are calligraphic in their execution. The reign of Jagat Singh
(1658-1684) saw vivacious colors and bold lines being used in
portraitures. With the arrival of Arjun Singh (1720-1723), the
painting started depicting males with a long hooked nose. 18th
century was also the time for hunting scenes, Ragamalas, and
portraits as the themes. Ram Singh II (1827-1866) ordered the
depiction of worship, hunting, darbar and processions in paintings.
Kishangarh - Kishangarh style of painting was basically a
fusion of Mughal and regional style. The most common theme of this
style consisted of the depiction of the love between Krishna and
Radha. Other popular themes included the poetry of Sawant Singh,
Shahnama and court scenes, etc. Kishangarh School is best known for
its Bani Thani paintings. With the demise of Savant Singh and his
leading painters, this school lost its glory and started breaking
down.
Malwa - One of the most conservative Rajput Painting Schools
of the 17th century, Malwa was highly influenced by Chaurpanchasika
style. The emphasis was laid on strong colors and bold lines. At
times, one can also observe a remote Mughal influence on these
paintings.
Marwar - The earliest example of the Rajasthani paintings of
Marwar is that of Ragamala, which was painted in Pali in 1623. In
the 18th century, the most common themes included, the portraitures
of nobles on horses and darbar scenes. With the arrival of artists
like Dalchand, Marwar paintings also started reflecting Mughal
influence.
Mewar - Mewar school of Rajput paintings concentrated on its
conservative style, trying to avoid the dominance of the Mughals.
The earliest example of the Mewar School is that of Chawand Ragamala,
dating back to 1605. One can observe heavy similarity with the
Chaurapanchasika style, especially the flatness, the bright colors,
and even common motifs. Towards the end of the 17th century and the
early 18th century, Mewar style saw revival and late 18th century
again witnessed its decline. From mid 19th century to mid 20th
century, it continued as a court art.
Mughal Painting
 Mughal
style of painting confined mainly to book illustrations and
miniatures, that evolved in India during the Mughal Dynasty. Mughal
paintings developed from the 16th to 18th centuries during the reign
of the Mughal emperors and had a distinctive blend of Indian,
Islamic and Persian styles. The close study of nature, the royal
life and the aristocratic tastes, all formed the prominent hallmarks
of the Mughal painting.
It was during the reign of Mughal Emperor Humayun that India saw a
new addition to its heritage of miniature art. When the Emperor
Humayun was in Safavid court of Shah Tahmasp I, he got introduced to
Persian paintings. On his return to India, he began patronizing the
Persian paintings with the help of two proficient artists Sayyid Ali
and Abdus Samad. Their discrete style along with the integration of
the local fashion of painting gave rise to distinct style of art,
which became renowned as Mughal painting. During the reigns of Akbar,
Jahangir and Shah Jahan the Mughal painting refurbished and
blossomed further.
Emperor Aurangzeb did not actively patronize the Mughal paintings
but some of the renowned paintings were seen during his reign. Again
during the rule of Muhammad Shah (1719-48), the Mughal paintings saw
a short upsurge but slowly the art had began to downfall. An endowed
artist of the Delhi-based court of the Mughal emperor Muhammad Shah,
Nidha Mal kept alive the saga Mughal art by painting in illustrious
Delhi style after moving to Lucknow.Abu`l-Hasan, Bishan Das,
Govardhan and Daulat are some of the celebrated artists of the
Mughal period.
The Mughal paintings depicted events from the various aspects of the
erstwhile Mughal Empire. These paintings portrayed the scenes from
the battlefields, hunting sports, the wild life and animals and also
the court scenes. One of the Mughal paintings illustrate a prince
and his companions smoking a `huqqa`, in the presence of beautiful
ladies in the lovely environs of a walled fort gardens. The hunting
scene in the Mughal paintings corresponded to a classic genre that
depicted royal hunts and the general portray of the royal life.
When Emperor Akbar was in power, the political, economic and
cultural landscape had began changing. The Mughal paintings
encouraged innumerable painters who further brought more rudiments
of precision and practicality into these paintings. These renewed
paintings also depicted the events from the epics of Mahabharat and
the Ramayana. The animal fables, which are famous in India by the
name Panchatantra, were also depicted in Mughal paintings. The
portfolio of Mughal paintings is large and diverse involving the
comprehensive countryside backgrounds and rudiments of individual
portraiture.
The artistic scenario excelled during sovereignty of Jahangir
(1605-27). The paintings emerging during his reign illustrated
scenes and events from his life. A biographical portrayal of
Jahangir known as the `Jahangirnama`, which was written during his
lifetime has numerous pictorial idiosyncrasies paintings. The colors
used in these paintings were lighter and the brush strokes were more
intricate. Human figures, flowers, animals and birds formed the
various themes on which the Mughal paintings emerged during Jahangir
reign. Musical events, lovers and ascetics formed the main themes of
the Mughal paintings during the reign of Shah Jahan (1628-58). Shah
Jahan is most distinguished for his architectural feat, the Taj
Mahal that took 16 years for its completion.
Mysore Painting
 The
Mysore paintings are the emblems of beauty originating from the
classical South Indian painting in the town of Mysore, Karnataka.
These paintings are renowned for their sophistication, subdued
colors, and attention to detail. The subjects for most of these
paintings are Hindu Gods and Goddesses and scenes from the legends
like Mahabharat, Ramayan, Bhagvata Purana and also the Jaina epics.
These paintings are used as mementos during the festive occasions in
South India. Stylish demarcation of the images, frail lines, and
convoluted brush strokes are all the characteristics of Mysore
paintings.
Raja Woodeyar (1578-1617 AD) of Mysore was well known for his
considerable involvement to patronize art and encourage artists.
These artists were engaged in showcasing these eye-catching
paintings on temple walls, banners and also palace walls. He had
constructed two shrines, one at Srirangapatna and the other at
Ganjam for Nimishamba Devi, the Goddesses which are worshipped by
the artists. Mysore art was given a major impetus during the reign
of Mummadi Krishnaraja Woodeyar who rose to power after the death of
Tippu Sultan in 1799 AD. These paintings showed a pictorial
description of subjects and depicted the scenes and figures of the
Hindu mythology on palaces of rich and royal community, the
household of the merchants and the noble class. On the walls of
Jagan Mohan palace the attractive Mysore paintings can be seen.
Mysore paintings showcase beautiful divine figures like Goddess
Saraswati playing the Veena or Goddess Laxmi bestowing an abundance
of wealth on her devotees. The Mysore paintings incorporated a wide
gamut of colors enhancing the overall effect with use of high up
light and shade effect. Some of the characteristic themes in these
paintings are Dashavatar, Laxmi, Saraswati, Rajarageshwari, Sri Rama,
Kodanada Rama, Tandavashwera and Vishvarupadarsha.
Tanjore Painting
 Tanjore
paintings hail from the state of Tamil Nadi in southern India. The
art of tanjore painting originated in the 16th century, under royal
patronage of the Chola dynasty of the 9th century A.D. Tanjore or
Thanjavur as it is called today acquired its name from the ancient
pronunciation of the place which was then called Thanjavoor. It was
then the capital of the mighty Chola empire. The Chola rulers
besides being great warriors, were builders of magnificent temples
and great patrons of arts.
It was against this setting that this highly specialised form of art
with its characteristically beautiful ornamental relief work
flourished.
These paintings are created after a meticulous and long drawn
process, which involves many stages. Layers of cloth are pasted over
wood, to create the base for painting. This is treated with lime
paste, to make the surface smooth for painting. The next step
involves, drawing outlines of the figures. Later pearls,
semi-precious stones, beaten gold leaf and gilt metal are stuck on
the image with a mixture of sawdust and glue. Remaining areas are
painted in bright colors.
The main theme of these paintings is the depiction of gods and
goddesses. The main figure in the painting is quite big, compared to
other figures. The figures are plump, having chubby, angelic faces.
Utmost care is taken to depict these figures, which are bedecked
with heavy ornamentation.
The distinguishing feature of Tanjore paintings are the
embellishments made over the basic drawings with precious and
semi-precious stones as well as the relief work which gives them a
three dimensional effect. The pictures are of various sizes, ranging
from huge works spanning whole walls to small miniatures no longer
than 6-inch square.
East Indian Painting
 Patta
Chitra of Orissa is an ancient art form, which was practiced in
Orissa. This art form was an offshoot of written communication on
palm leaves. In the pre paper days messages and letters were etched
out on palm leaves and dispatched. Slowly the text began to be
embellished with illustrations. Theses illustrations became an art
form itself.
Mythological themes dominate most pattachitras; scenes from the
Hindu epics, Ramayana and Mahabharata are lovingly depicted. Local
legends and folklore too find their way into the paintings. Radha
and Krishna, Durga, Ganesha and Saraswati are the most commonly used
Gods and Goddesses.
Patua Paintings of West Bengal are sheets of paper sewn
together and painted upon. These scrolls narrate mythological
stories and in recent times they have incorporated other themes to
cater to the changing taste of their customers. In recent times they
have dealt with historical events, ecological disasters such as
storms and floods, and commentary on social issues.
They were once painted on cloth, but are now executed on cheap
handmade paper. The scrolls are almost always unmounted. The size of
the scroll paintings varies, they can be as short as four feet, and
as long as fifty feet, however the average length of a Pata is
around fifteen feet. A Pata is divided into vertical compartments,
again not always of equal length, and each compartment narrates a
different episode of the story. Patas are painted by Patuas of West
Bengal who are interesting anomalies. They are an endogamous caste
whose religion is difficult to determine, for they follow both Hindu
and Muslim customs. Muslim rituals mark all their important
ceremonies but they paint Hindu stories in their scrolls and also
observe a number of Hindu Festivals. The Patuas visit villages and
go from house to house with their bag of scrolls. They narrate
stories while unrolling the scrolls; in return of his services he is
paid in cash or kind. Most Patuas happen to be men and there are
few, if any, women Patuas.
Pahari Painting
 Pahari
Paintings are literally, paintings from the hills of India. In the
sub-Himalayan state of Himachal Pradesh, ruled the Rajput kings.
They were great art-lovers. It is under their patronage that the
Pahari painting flourished from the 17th to the 19th century. The
breathtaking landscapes of the mountain ranges inspired artists. And
they made these the backdrop of their paintings. These paintings are
mainly in the miniature style. The Pahari painting underwent a lot
of modification during its lifetime. It's development can broadly be
classified into three distinct schools: Basohli, Guler-Kangra and
Sikh.
Basohli School - The early stage of development of the Pahari
painting started in the mid 17th century. It is in the style of the
Basohli school. Pahari paintings in this style are characterized by
brilliant colours. The background is bright red, yellow, green or
brown usually. A sense of perspective is achieved by the pigmy
trees. Popular themes are portraits of local rulers and the Hindu
gods and figures from Hindu mythology. Radha-Krishna and
Madhava-Malati love themes and themes from the Bhagavata Purana
abound. The Pahari rulers often visited the courts of the Mughal
rulers. They were influenced by their traditions and tastes. And
this Mughal influence is visible in their paintings. For instance,
the translucent clothing of the women and men depicted in the
paintings is a Mughlai feature. The paintings are also marked by
features characteristic of Rajasthani and Malwa paintings.
Guler-Kangra School - In the second quarter of the 18th
century, the Basohli style underwent a significant change. A new
school of Pahari painting developed in the Guler and Kangra area,
and increasingly gained popularity. This style was characterized by
a certain toning down of the former exuberance. The paintings
acquired a lyrical nature. Artists in this style did not use the
smoldering colors of the Basohli school. They adopted various shades
of the primary colors and used delicate and fresher hues. Feminine
facial features were softened and refined. The female figures seen
now were exceptionally beautiful. These paintings were often large
and complex compositions of many figures and elaborate landscapes.
The most popular themes were the stories and antics of Krishna.
Sikh School - Sikh Paintings primarily deal with portraits.
They depicts historical characters and events. They attempt to give
us a comprehensive understanding of the political struggle that gave
birth to Sikhism and the distinct roles played by certain
individuals in that struggle.
Modern Indian Painting
 The
foundation for modern painting in India was laid by the formation of
art schools in Calcutta and other cities under the British influence
at the beginning of the 20th century. This period saw the emergence
of an Indo-European genre of painting known as the Company style. In
this period, Indians were not only fighting for political
independence, but were also liberating themselves from their
traditional mind-sets and trappings. Much of the art of this era
depicts this newly emerging social consciousness.
Raja Ravi Verma of Kerala was perhaps the first great modern painter
in India. He evolved a national style of painting by combining
various regional elements like costumes, jewellery and facial
features. His paintings, which mostly depicted mythological themes,
became very popular not only in India but abroad. His illustrations
of Ramayana and Mahabharata were the most appealing visual
representations of that time. He won a gold medal at the World Art
Exhibition, Vienna, for his picture Nair Lady Adorning Her Hair
(1873).
Abanindranath Tagore and Havell, who founded the Bengal School of
Painting, were the pioneers in encouraging Indian themes and urged
the artists to take inspiration from the traditions of Ajanta and
Rajasthan in modem painting. They served to infuse confidence in
younger artistes who wanted to experiment with new modes of
expression. Abanindranath Tagore's Arabian Nights series (1930) is
among his renowned works. Other renowned painters like Nandlal Bose,
Devi Prasad Roy, Sarada Charan Ukil, Asit Kumar Haldar also belonged
to this school.
Jamini Roy, another renowned Indian painter, modelled his work on
the folk art of Bengal. Modern Painting 1He adopted the angular
forms and harsh lines of the village patuas and used the village
dyes in his paintings. Amrita Shergil is another famed name in
contemporary modern Indian painting. Inspired by Mughal miniatures
and Ajanta murals, she produced several great works like
Brahmacharis, Child Wife and Preparing the Bride. Rabindranath
Tagore started painting in 1930 at the age of 67 and produced some
great paintings, which are very individualistic and modem in style.
He held the first exhibition of his paintings in Galerie Pigalle in
Paris in 1930.
 Independence
saw the setting up of a new school of art in Bombay called the
Progressive Artists' Group. The prominent artists of this group are
Francis Newton Souza the
founder, Maqbool Fida Husain, S.H.Raza, H.A.Gade, S.K.Bakre and
others. This group organised its first painting exhibition in 1948.
Painting took aModern Painting2 new form in this period - bold and
furious at one end, soft and magical at the other. By 1960,
professional art galleries were opened in Delhi and Mumbai, and in
the next two decades several abstract painters like V.S. Gaitonde,
Balraj Khanna and J.Swaminathan emerged on the scene. Biren De,
G.R.Santosh and others tried to present the Tantra Art on canvas in
oils and acrylics. Gulam Muhammed Sheikh, Bhupen Khakkar, K.K.Hebber,
S.H.Raza (Surya), Akbar Padamsee (Woman), Tyeb Mehta (Figure with
Bird), Krishna Khanna (St Francis and the Wolf), Laxman Shrestha
(Painting in Red), Navjote (Hope), Jeram Patel (Organic Black),
Jyoti Swaroop, Ram Kumar, Jehangir Sabavala, Rameshwar Broota,
Manjit Bawa and Sundaram are some other prominent names of India's
contemporary art scene. The South India saw the proliferation of
good painters like K.C.S.Pannikker, K.Madhava Menon,
P.L.Narasimhamurty, Mokkapti Krishnamurti, A.Ramachandran,
G.Subramanyan and Ganesh Pyne. Among the contemporary modem Indian
women painters, mention may be made of Anjolie Ela Menon, Arpana
Caur, B.Prabha, Kamala Das, Lalitha Lajmi, Meera Devidayal, Rekha
Rodwittiya and Rekha Krishnan.
Most contemporary Indian paintings contain imagery that is literal
and colour that Modern Paintingis highly charged, creating a
kaleidoscope of humanity and the human condition in modem India. The
Indian paintings have now acquired a stature of their own. They use
materials and techniques from all over the world but express Indian
realities and Indian experiences. The respect for tradition and the
ability to transcend it at the same time is clearly evident in the
Indian art of today. This is the essence of what has been described
as the eclecticism of the Indian contemporary expression.
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