PAINTINGS A MINIATURE PAINTING OF MEDIVAL PERIOD INTRODUCTION Indian painting has a very long tradition and history in Indian art. The earliest Indian paintings were the rock paintings of pre-historic times, the petroglyphs as found in places like Bhimbetka , some of them from before 5500 BC. India's Buddhist literature is replete with examples of texts which describe palaces of the army and the aristocratic class embellished with paintings, but the paintings of the Ajanta Caves are the most significant of the few survivals. Indian paintings provide an aesthetic continuum that extends from the early civilisation 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. Some Genres of Indian painting Murals Miniature painting Eastern Indian painting Western Indian painting Mughal painting Rajput painting Tanjore painting Modern Indian painting PAINTING OF AJANTA CAVES Paintings of Ajanta caves are mainly based on the episodes drawn from the life of Lord Buddha . Ajanta caves are the treasure house of delicate paintings. Some of them also portray scenes from Jataka tales. The temples are excavated out of batholitic cliffs on the inner side of a seventy-foot valley in the Wagurna River vale, at a site where beauty dropped her image. Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, Cave 1 Features of Paintings of Ajanta The Ajanta paintings stresses on religious romanticism with lyric quality, a reflection of the view that every aspect of life has an equal value in the spiritual sense and as an aspect of the divine. The paintings are done by covering the rough surface of the wall with a layer of clay or cow dung mixed with chopped straw or animal hair. When this has been smoothed and levelled, it is given a varnish of fine white clay or gypsum and it is on this ground that the painting is done. Ceiling Paintings of Ajanta The most famous paintings at Ajanta caves are in `Cave I`. The shape of the cave is a square hall with the roof supported by rows of pillars. There is a rock cut image of a seated Buddha at the back of the shrine. The most unusual feature of the cave is parts of the complete decoration of the flat ceiling. There are scenes carved from the life of Lord Buddha as well as a number of ornamental motifs. In the paintings of Ajanta there are beautifully drawn female figures of dusky complexion wearing towering head-dresses that strongly resembles the sophisticated mukuta, crowning the Bodhisattva himself. . This is a representation of the Shakti or female of the Bodhisattva, one of the many indications of the intrusions of Hindu concepts into Buddhism . The paintings of the ceiling of Cave I at Ajanta is executed in a more flat, enhancing style and the space is divided into a number of adjacent panels square and rectangular in form, which are filled with subjects and showy

1. PPAAIINNTTIINNGGSS

2. A MMIINNIIAATTUURREE PPAAIINNTTIINNGG
OOFF MMEEDDIIVVAALL PPEERRIIOODD

3. IINNTTRROODDUUCCTTIIOONN
Indian painting has a very long tradition and history in
Indian art.
The earliest Indian paintings were the rock paintings
of pre-historic times, the petroglyphs as found in
places like Bhimbetka , some of them from before
5500 BC.
India's Buddhist literature is replete with examples of
texts which describe palaces of the army and the
aristocratic class embellished with paintings, but the
paintings of the Ajanta Caves are the most significant
of the few survivals.

4. Indian paintings provide an aesthetic
continuum that extends from the early
civilisation 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.

5. SSoommee GGeennrreess ooff
IInnddiiaann ppaaiinnttiinngg
Murals
Miniature painting
Eastern Indian painting
Western Indian painting
Mughal painting
Rajput painting
Tanjore painting
Modern Indian painting

10. PPAAIINNTTIINNGG OOFF AAJJAANNTTAA
CCAAVVEESS

11. Paintings of Ajanta caves are mainly based on
the episodes drawn from the life of Lord
Buddha .
Ajanta caves are the treasure house of delicate
paintings. Some of them also portray scenes
from Jataka tales.
The temples are excavated out of batholitic
cliffs on the inner side of a seventy-foot valley
in the Wagurna River vale, at a site where
beauty dropped her image.

12. BBooddhhiissaattttvvaa
AAvvaallookkiitteesshhvvaarraa,, CCaavvee
11

13. FFeeaattuurreess ooff PPaaiinnttiinnggss ooff
AAjjaannttaa
• The Ajanta paintings stresses on religious
romanticism with lyric quality, a reflection of the
view that every aspect of life has an equal value in
the spiritual sense and as an aspect of the divine.
• The paintings are done by covering the rough
surface of the wall with a layer of clay or cow dung
mixed with chopped straw or animal hair. When
this has been smoothed and levelled, it is given a
varnish of fine white clay or gypsum and it is on
this ground that the painting is done.

14. CCeeiilliinngg PPaaiinnttiinnggss ooff
AAjjaannttaa
• The most famous paintings at Ajanta caves are
in `Cave I`. The shape of the cave is a square
hall with the roof supported by rows of pillars.
• There is a rock cut image of a seated Buddha at
the back of the shrine. The most unusual
feature of the cave is parts of the complete
decoration of the flat ceiling. There are scenes
carved from the life of Lord Buddha as well as a
number of ornamental motifs.

15. • In the paintings of Ajanta there are beautifully drawn
female figures of dusky complexion wearing towering
head-dresses that strongly resembles the sophisticated
mukuta, crowning the Bodhisattva himself.
• . This is a representation of the Shakti or female of the
Bodhisattva, one of the many indications of the intrusions
of Hindu concepts into Buddhism .
• The paintings of the ceiling of Cave I at Ajanta is executed in
a more flat, enhancing style and the space is divided into a
number of adjacent panels square and rectangular in form,
which are filled with subjects and showy designs.
• The extremely restricted palette used here, and the
silhouetting of the figures against a light background
sprinkled with rosettes, give the panel a very flat, textile-like
character.

16. CCAAVVEE 11 PPAAIINNTTIINNGG

17. WWaallll PPaaiinnttiinnggss ooff
AAjjaannttaa • The fragments of wall decoration surviving in the porch
of Cave XVII are unfortunately more damaged than the
paintings of Cave I. This shrine bears an inscription of the
last quarter of the fifth century, which may be assumed to
correspond with the period of the wall-paintings.

18. • Another painting in the wall of Cave XVII exemplify a
portion of the Visvantara Jataka in which the chief episode
demonstrates the princely hero announcing to his wife the
news of his expulsion from his father`s kingdom. At the right
of the masterpiece, in a pavilion with orange walls and red
pillars, swarthy lord grasps his swooning companion; her
drooping pose is pronounced by the bend of her head, and
the relaxation of every limb emphasises her agony.

19. • Another magnificent painting in Cave XVII is a picture
of a king talking smilingly to a golden goose. Even the
painting of mother and child before Buddha draws
attention. This painting is a fine representation of
simplicity and poverty.

20. RRAAJJPPUUTT PPAAIINNTTIINNGG
An 18th century Rajput painting by the artist Nihâl Chand,
chief painter at the court of Kishangarh. Krishna and his
companions are by far the most popular theme of Rajput
painting.

21. • Rajput painting flowed primarily from the indigenous
Western Indian style of manuscript illustration that had
flourished in the 14th and 15th centuries, but was also
greatly influenced by Mughal painting.
• Rajput painting usually took the form of miniatures in
manuscripts or on single sheets kept in albums, although
examples of this style can also be found on the walls of
Rajput palaces, forts, and mansions.
• Popular themes include the life of the god Krishna;
scenes from Hindu epics; pictorial representations of the
ragamala (musical modes); women, lovers and romance;
portraits; and court and hunting scenes.

22. Rajput painting can be divided into two
styles: the Rajasthani style, associated
with the Rajput courts in Rajasthan, and
the Pahari style, associated with the
Rajput courts of the Himalayan foothills.

23. TThhee RRaajjaasstthhaannii SSttyyllee
• Emerging in the last decades of the 16th
century, Rajasthani art is usually divided
into four major schools, each centered on
different courts and based on differences
in artistic style.
• These four schools are the Mewar school,
the Marwar school, the Hadoti school, and
the Dhundar school.

24. • The Mewar school is associated with the courts of
Chavand, Nathwara, Devgarh, Udaipur, and Sawar, and
is characterized by simplicity and vivid colours. It
produced a large number of devotional paintings for
the pilgrim trade .

25. The Marwar school is associated with the courts of
Kishangarh, Bikaner, Jodhpur, Nagaur, Pali, and Ghanerao
courts and is best known for its fine miniature portraits
from the second half of the 17th century and a large body of
highly stylized and colorful painting from the 19th century

26. The Hadoti school is associated with the courts of Kota,
Bundi, and Jhalawar and is remarkable for its vivid
portrayal of movement, strength, and vitality, best seen in
depictions of hunting and sports scenes.

27. The Dhundar school is associated with the courts of
Amber, Jaipur, Shekhawati, and Uniara, and is
characterized by formal but rich portraits, very large
paintings of the deeds of Krishna, and Western
influences in the 19th century.

28. TThhee PPaahhaarrii SSttyyllee
The Pahari style of miniature painting
and book illustration developed in the
independent states of the Himalayan
foothills between the 17th and 18th
centuries and began to decline after
1800. This style consists of two schools:
the Basohli school and the Kangra school.

29. The Basohli school flourished towards the close of the
17th century and is best known for its bold use of color,
intense emotionality, stylized facial types shown in
profile with prominent eyes, and distinctive depictions of
jewellry.

30. The Kangra school emerged in the mid-18th century as the
Basohli style began to fade and is characterized by
curving lines, calmer colours, and delicate lyricism .

31. MMuugghhaall PPaaiinnttiinngg

32. HHiissttoorryy ooff MMuugghhaall
PPaaiinnttiinngg
• Indian Mughal paintings originated during the rule of
Mughal Emperor, Humayun (1530-1540). When he came
back to India from the exile, he also brought along two
excellent Persian artists, Mir-Sayyid Ali and Abd-us-samad.
• The Mughal paintings of India revolved around themes, like
battles, court scenes, receptions, legendary stories, hunting
scenes, wildlife, portraits, etc. The Victoria and Albert
Museums of London house a large and impressive collection
of Mughal paintings.

34. GGrroowwtthh ooff MMuugghhaall
PPaaiinnttiinngg
Mughal paintings of India developed as
well as prospered under the rule of
Mughal Emperors, Akbar, Jahangir and
Shah Jahan.

35. UUnnddeerr AAkkbbaarr
Mughal painting experienced large-scale
growth under the reign of Emperor Akbar.
During that time, hundreds of artists used to
paint under the direction of the two Persian
artists.
Since the Emperor was fond of tales, one can
see the paintings mainly being based on the
Mahabharata, Ramayana and Persian epics.
Mughal paintings also started illustrating an
enhanced naturalism, with animal tales,

37. UUnnddeerr JJaahhaannggiirr
 Emperor Jahangir reigned from 1605 to 1627 and extended
great support to various art forms, especially paintings. This
period saw more and more refinement in brushwork, along
with the use of much lighter and subdued colors.
 The main themes of the Mughal paintings revolved around
the events from Jahangir's own life, along with portraits,
birds, flowers, animals, etc.
 One of the most popular examples of Mughal paintings of
this time include the pictorial illustrations of the Jehangir-nama,
the biography of Emperor Jahangir.

39. UUnnddeerr SShhaahh JJaahhaann
The grace and refinement of the Jahangir
period was seen at the time of Emperor Shah
Jahan (1628-1658). However, the sensitivity
of the paintings was replaced by coldness and
rigidity.
The themes of that time revolved around
musical parties, lovers on terraces and gardens,
ascetics gathered around a fire, etc.

41. TTHHAANNKK YYOOUU
RRAAVVIIKKAANNTT SSHHAARRMMAA
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