{"id":86400,"date":"2026-02-06T18:03:13","date_gmt":"2026-02-06T12:33:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/?p=86400"},"modified":"2026-02-06T18:03:13","modified_gmt":"2026-02-06T12:33:13","slug":"miniature-paintings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/miniature-paintings\/","title":{"rendered":"Miniature Paintings, Techniques, Evolution, Different Schools"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Miniature Paintings are <\/span><b>small, detailed and colorful artworks that were mainly created on paper, cloth, or ivory.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> They often depict scenes from history, mythology or court life and are known for their fine brushwork and intricate details. They are an integral part of Indian Painting history.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Miniature Paintings About<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Miniature paintings are <\/span><b>small-sized paintings<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> made with <\/span><b>great detail and bright colours<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They were mainly painted on <\/span><b>paper, cloth, or palm leaves<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These paintings show <\/span><b>stories from history, religion and royal court life<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Miniature paintings developed in medieval India, especially under the Mughal, Rajput, and Deccan rulers.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Read about: <a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/mural-paintings\/\" target=\"_blank\">Mural Paintings<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<h2><b>Miniature Paintings Techniques<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Miniature paintings were usually made using the <\/span><b>tempera technique<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, where colours were mixed with a binding material to make them long-lasting. This method helped artists create <\/span><b>fine lines and clear details<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which is the main feature of miniature art.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These paintings are <\/span><b>small in size<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, generally very compact, so that every part of the artwork looks neat and balanced. The small size helped artists focus more on <\/span><b>detail rather than large backgrounds<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>main subject is drawn much smaller than real life<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which gives the painting a decorative and stylized look instead of a realistic one.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The painting should not be more than <\/span><b>25 square inches in size.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Human figures are shown in a <\/span><b>stylised manner<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, often in <\/span><b>side view<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> rather than full front view. This was done to maintain uniformity and traditional artistic rules.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The figures usually have <\/span><b>large expressive eyes, sharp nose and slim body<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, making them easily recognizable. Skin colours are shown as <\/span><b>fair or brown<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, while gods like <\/span><b>Lord Krishna are painted blue<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to show divinity.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hair and eyes are mostly shown in <\/span><b>black colour<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Women are often painted with <\/span><b>long hair<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, while men are shown wearing <\/span><b>turbans<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, reflecting the social and cultural life of the time.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Artists mainly used <\/span><b>natural colours<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> made from plants, minerals and stones. Colours like <\/span><b>red, yellow, blue, white, black and brown<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> were commonly used to give brightness and beauty to the paintings.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Traditional <\/span><b>Indian clothes, ornaments, slippers and shoes<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are carefully shown, which helps us understand the <\/span><b>culture and lifestyle<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of the period.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Early Miniature Paintings<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Early miniature paintings were <\/span><b>small paintings with fine details<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, mainly made for <\/span><b>manuscripts, books and albums<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They were painted on <\/span><b>perishable materials<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> such as <\/span><b>paper, palm leaves and cloth<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which is why many early works have not survived.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This form of painting developed between the <\/span><b>8th and 12th centuries<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, partly as a <\/span><b>response to large wall and mural paintings<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Early miniature art was found in <\/span><b>both eastern and western parts of India<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, showing regional influence.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the beginning, these paintings were <\/span><b>simple and less decorative<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, but over time they became <\/span><b>more refined and detailed<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Two important early schools of miniature painting were the <\/span><b>Pala School of Art<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and the <\/span><b>Apabhramsa School of Art<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which played a key role in the growth of this tradition.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Pala School of Painting<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>Pala School of Painting<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is one of the <\/span><b>earliest forms of miniature painting in India<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and developed between the 8th<\/span><b> and 12th centuries (about 750-1150 AD)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It flourished under the <\/span><b>Pala rulers of Bengal and eastern India<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, during a period when <\/span><b>Buddhism and Buddhist art were at their peak<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These paintings were mainly made for <\/span><b>Buddhist manuscripts<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and were painted on <\/span><b>palm leaves or early paper<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which were easily available materials.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The style is known for its <\/span><b>smooth, flowing lines and soft, dull colours<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, giving the paintings a calm and natural look.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most paintings show <\/span><b>single figures<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, usually of <\/span><b>Buddha or Buddhist deities<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and group scenes are rarely seen.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The paintings have <\/span><b>simple backgrounds and compositions<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, similar in style to <\/span><b>Ajanta art and contemporary sculptures<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They were <\/span><b>patronised by Buddhist monks, Pala kings and followers of the Vajrayana school of Buddhism<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Famous artists of this school include <\/span><b>Dhimman and Vitapala<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, who contributed greatly to its development.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Read about: <a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/indian-paintings\/\" target=\"_blank\">Indian Paintings<\/a><br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><b>Apabhramsa School of Painting<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>Apabhramsa School of Art<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, also known as the <\/span><b>Western Indian School<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, developed in <\/span><b>Gujarat and the Mewar region of Rajasthan<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It flourished between the <\/span><b>11th and 15th centuries<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and was the most popular painting style in <\/span><b>western India<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> during this period.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the early phase, the paintings were mainly inspired by <\/span><b>Jain religion<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, especially stories of Jain monks and scriptures.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Later, <\/span><b>Vaishnava themes<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> were also included, such as stories from the <\/span><b>Gita Govinda<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and scenes of <\/span><b>secular love<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At first, paintings were made on <\/span><b>palm leaves<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, but later <\/span><b>paper<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> was used as writing materials improved.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Though these paintings were used as <\/span><b>book illustrations<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, their style remained similar to <\/span><b>mural paintings but in a smaller size<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The artists used <\/span><b>symbolic colours<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> like <\/span><b>red, yellow and ochre<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and in later times <\/span><b>bright and golden colours<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> were added.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Human figures were shown in a <\/span><b>stylised manner<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, with <\/span><b>large fish-shaped eyes, pointed nose and stiff posture<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Female figures were often drawn with <\/span><b>broad hips and prominent features<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, while <\/span><b>animals and birds looked toy-like<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Famous examples of this school include illustrations from <\/span><b>Kalpasutra<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>Kalakacharya Katha<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> manuscripts.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Miniature Painting during the Delhi Sultanate<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">During the <\/span><b>Delhi Sultanate period<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, miniature painting developed as an <\/span><b>Indo-Persian style<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, combining <\/span><b>Persian influences<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> with <\/span><b>Indian artistic traditions<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, including Jain elements.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most of these paintings were produced between <\/span><b>1450 and 1550 CE<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, mainly in centres like <\/span><b>Mandu and Jaunpur<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, with some activity in <\/span><b>Delhi and Gujarat<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A well-known example is the <\/span><b>Nimatnama<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, a recipe book prepared during the rule of <\/span><b>Nasir Shah of Mandu<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which shows scenes of court life, food preparation, and daily activities.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Though painted by <\/span><b>Indian artists<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, the works followed <\/span><b>Persian models<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, using <\/span><b>bright colours, decorative borders, green landscapes and stylised figures<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> arranged in rows.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another style called <\/span><b>Lodi Khuladar<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> was also popular in Sultanate-ruled regions between Delhi and Jaunpur.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These paintings were <\/span><b>experimental in nature<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and later influenced the development of the <\/span><b>Mughal, Rajput and Deccan schools<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of miniature painting.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Miniature Painting during Mughal Era<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">During the <\/span><b>Mughal period<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, miniature painting developed as a <\/span><b>new and refined art form<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> with strong <\/span><b>Persian influence<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, but it gradually took on an <\/span><b>Indian character<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The main themes changed from religious subjects to the <\/span><b>life of the emperor<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, such as <\/span><b>court scenes, hunting, wars and important events<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These paintings are known for their <\/span><b>natural look<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, fine details, and <\/span><b>bright yet balanced colours<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Artists carefully showed <\/span><b>human figures, animals, flowers and landscapes<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, often with <\/span><b>hills in the background<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mughal painters introduced the technique of <\/span><b>foreshortening<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, where objects are drawn in a way that makes them appear <\/span><b>near or far<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, giving a sense of depth.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mughal art covered <\/span><b>many subjects<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, not only religion, which made it <\/span><b>rich and varied<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Contribution of Mughal Rulers<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The development of Mughal miniature painting was shaped by the support of different Mughal emperors. Each ruler added new ideas, themes, and techniques to this art form. From <\/span><b>Akbar\u2019s organized royal workshop to Jahangir\u2019s love for nature and Shah Jahan\u2019s decorative style<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, Mughal painting evolved continuously. Though <\/span><b>Aurangzeb withdrew royal patronage<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, the art survived and spread to regional courts, influencing later Indian painting traditions.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Akbar (1556-1605)<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Akbar gave strong support to painting and created a <\/span><b>separate department for art and writing<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He set up a royal workshop called <\/span><b>Tasvir Khana<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, where painters were appointed on salary and trained professionally.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Akbar believed paintings were useful for <\/span><b>learning and entertainment<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and rewarded artists who produced <\/span><b>realistic images<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He invited skilled <\/span><b>Indian artists<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> from earlier kingdoms, which brought a strong <\/span><b>Indian element<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> into Mughal painting.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Paintings of this period show <\/span><b>three-dimensional figures<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, use of <\/span><b>foreshortening<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and <\/span><b>calligraphy<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Art shifted from popular themes to <\/span><b>court scenes<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, such as royal life and administration.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Famous painters<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Daswanth, Basawan, Kesu.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Important illustrated manuscripts<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hamzanama, Tutinama, Anvar-i-Suhaili,<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gulistan of Sadi<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Jahangir (1605-1627)<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mughal painting reached its <\/span><b>highest level<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> during Jahangir\u2019s reign.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He was a <\/span><b>lover of nature<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and preferred paintings of <\/span><b>birds, animals, plants and flowers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Artists focused more on <\/span><b>portraits and albums<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> rather than manuscripts.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A new feature of this period was <\/span><b>highly decorated borders<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> around paintings.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Paintings became more <\/span><b>naturalistic and detailed<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, especially in animal studies.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Ustad Mansoor<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> was the most famous painter, known for realistic animal and bird paintings.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ayar-i-Danish<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> was an important illustrated work of this period.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Shah Jahan (1628-1658)<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">During Shah Jahan\u2019s reign, Mughal painting became more <\/span><b>formal and decorative<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He preferred <\/span><b>artificial beauty and stillness<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> instead of natural expressions.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">European influence increased, and artists began using <\/span><b>pencil sketches<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> instead of charcoal.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Greater use of <\/span><b>gold, silver and bright colours<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> was encouraged.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Paintings mainly showed <\/span><b>court scenes, royal portraits, festivals, processions and durbars<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Though the royal workshop expanded, the <\/span><b>style became less lively<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> than before.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Aurangzeb (1658-1707)<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Aurangzeb <\/span><b>did not support painting<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, considering it unimportant.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As royal patronage declined, many Mughal painters <\/span><b>migrated to regional courts<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> like Rajasthan and Awadh.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There, Mughal style mixed with local traditions, leading to the rise of <\/span><b>Provincial Mughal painting<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Awadh<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> became an important centre of this new style.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Miniature Paintings of Rajput Style<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rajput miniature painting developed mainly between the <\/span><b>16th and 18th centuries<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> under the patronage of <\/span><b>Rajput rulers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of Rajasthan, Central India, and the <\/span><b>Punjab Himalayan region<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. In the early stage, this art was influenced by <\/span><b>mural and fresco traditions<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, but later it became popular in the <\/span><b>miniature form<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These paintings were deeply rooted in <\/span><b>Indian culture and traditions<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Most themes were <\/span><b>religious and devotional<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, drawn from Indian epics and sacred texts such as the <\/span><b>Ramayana, Mahabharata, Bhagavata Purana, Shiva Purana<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>Gita Govinda of Jayadeva<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Folk stories and musical themes also inspired the artists.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rajput Paintings commonly used <\/span><b>Hindu symbols<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> like the <\/span><b>lotus, peacock and swan<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which had spiritual meanings. The style reflected devotion, emotion, and a strong connection with nature.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Broadly, Rajput miniature paintings are divided into <\/span><b>two main schools<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"2\"><b>Rajasthani School of Painting<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Pahari School of Painting<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (developed mainly between the 17th and 19th centuries)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Rajasthani School of Painting<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rajasthani paintings developed in the princely states of present-day Rajasthan and parts of Madhya Pradesh between the 16th and early 19th centuries, under the patronage of Rajput rulers.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Earlier called \u201cRajput paintings\u201d by scholars, they are now mainly grouped as <\/span><b>Rajasthani and Pahari schools<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and they followed strong Indian artistic traditions different from Mughal art.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These paintings were made on <\/span><b>Wasli<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (layers of handmade paper) using natural colours from minerals, gold and silver and fine brushes made of animal hair, then polished for a smooth finish.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Painting was a team effort, where the main artist planned the design and other artists added colours and details.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most themes were <\/span><b>religious and devotional<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, especially stories of <\/span><b>Radha\u2013Krishna<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, inspired by texts like <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gita Govinda, Rasamanjari<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rasikapriya<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Other popular subjects included <\/span><b>Ragamala paintings<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, scenes from epics like the <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ramayana<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mahabharata<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and royal life such as court scenes, festivals, hunting, animals and birds.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Important centres were Mewar, Bundi, Kota, Jaipur, Bikaner, Kishangarh, Marwar, Malwa and nearby regions.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<table style=\"width: 97.093%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"tb-color\" style=\"text-align: center; width: 96.3928%;\" colspan=\"2\"><b>Rajasthani School of Paintings<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 22.5331%;\">\n<p><b>Mewar School of Painting<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 73.8597%;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Mewar was an early centre of Rajasthani painting<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, but many early works were lost due to wars.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It<\/span><b> began around 1605<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> with Ragamala paintings showing bold style and bright colours.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Under <\/span><b>Jagat Singh I<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, artists like <\/span><b>Sahibdin<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> developed illustrations of the <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ramayana<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and other texts.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Later, paintings focused more on <\/span><b>royal life, portraits and festivals<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, with <\/span><b>bright red and yellow colours<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 22.5331%;\">\n<p><b>Malwa School of Painting<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 73.8597%;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Malwa School (1600\u20131700 CE)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> developed in central India with a simple and flat painting style.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Paintings mainly showed <\/span><b>religious and literary stories<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, not royal portraits.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Artists were often <\/span><b>travelling painters<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, not tied to one court.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This period also saw the growth of <\/span><b>Mughal, Deccani, Rajasthani and Pahari<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> painting schools.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 22.5331%;\">\n<p><b>Bundi School of Painting<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 73.8597%;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It developed in Rajasthan during the <\/span><b>17th\u201318th centuries<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and is closely related to the Mewar style.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is known for <\/span><b>bright colours, detailed landscapes, forests, rivers, animals (especially elephants) and dramatic night scenes<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Common themes include <\/span><b>hunting scenes, court life, festivals, processions and stories of Lord Krishna<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, showing strong Krishna devotion.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Human figures have <\/span><b>round faces, sharp noses, slim waists<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and expressive movements.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It later influenced the <\/span><b>Kota School<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 22.5331%;\">\n<p><b>Bikaner School of Painting<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 73.8597%;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It grew in the 17th century under Mughal influence.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It used <\/span><b>soft colours and refined styles<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> similar to Mughal art.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Anup Singh (1669\u20131698)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> supported painting by setting up studios and a library.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Paintings often had <\/span><b>artist names and dates written on them<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, making this school well recorded.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 22.5331%;\">\n<p><b>Kishangarh School of Painting<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 73.8597%;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is known for its <\/span><b>highly stylised figures<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> with long faces, sharp noses, arched eyebrows and lotus-shaped eyes.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The school developed in <\/span><b>Kishangarh (Rajasthan)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in the 17th\u201318th centuries under royal patronage.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Paintings often show <\/span><b>Radha\u2013Krishna themes<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, influenced by Vaishnavism.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The most famous artist was <\/span><b>Nihal Chand<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, who painted romantic and devotional scenes.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These paintings use <\/span><b>rich colours and wide landscapes<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, with small figures set in large scenic backgrounds.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 22.5331%;\">\n<p><b>Jodhpur (Marwar) School of Paintings<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 73.8597%;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It mixed <\/span><b>Mughal style<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> with strong <\/span><b>local folk traditions<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rulers encouraged <\/span><b>portraits, court life and Krishna\/Ramayana themes<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Paintings often showed <\/span><b>local places, costumes and culture<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Names of artists and dates are <\/span><b>rarely written<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in these paintings.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 22.5331%;\">\n<p><b>Jaipur School of Painting<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 73.8597%;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It began at <\/span><b>Amer<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and was <\/span><b>strongly influenced by Mughal art<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> because Jaipur rulers had friendly relations with the Mughals.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It <\/span><b>developed fully under Sawai Jai Singh<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, who founded Jaipur city and invited <\/span><b>Mughal artists<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to work in his court.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most paintings were based on <\/span><b>Radha-Krishna themes<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, religious books like <\/span><b>Gita Govinda<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>royal portraits<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Later rulers continued supporting art, showing <\/span><b>court life, hunts, festivals and leisure scenes<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By the <\/span><b>18th century<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, Jaipur painting became a <\/span><b>separate style<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, using <\/span><b>bright colours, gold, large paintings and life-size portraits<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 22.5331%;\">\n<p><b>Kota School of Painting<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 73.8597%;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Kota School of Painting<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> developed from the <\/span><b>Bundi tradition<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> after Kota became a separate state in the <\/span><b>17th century<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is <\/span><b>best known for hunting scenes<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, showing kings, animals and forests with great energy.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kota painters were the <\/span><b>first to give importance to landscapes<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> as the main subject.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The style shows <\/span><b>strong animal drawings<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, action scenes, bold lines and <\/span><b>distinct eyes.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2><b>Miniature Paintings in South India<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Miniature Paintings in South India<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> developed during the <\/span><b>early medieval period<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and had a style different from North Indian schools.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These paintings used <\/span><b>a lot of gold<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which made them bright and decorative.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Artists mainly painted <\/span><b>Hindu gods and goddesses<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, while rulers were shown less often.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>climate and local traditions<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of South India influenced their painting style.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>main schools<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of South Indian miniature painting are <\/span><b>Tanjore<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>Mysore<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Tanjore School of Painting<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Tanjore paintings<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> developed in South India during the <\/span><b>late 18th and 19th centuries<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and are famous for their <\/span><b>heavy use of gold<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These paintings use <\/span><b>bright colours<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, bold outlines and simple shading to make the figures stand out.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Artists decorated the paintings with <\/span><b>gold foil, pearls, glass pieces and semi-precious stones<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, giving them a rich look.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most paintings show <\/span><b>Hindu gods and goddesses<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, especially <\/span><b>Lord Krishna<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, often shown smiling in different scenes from his life.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The figures are <\/span><b>large<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, with <\/span><b>round and calm faces<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, giving them a divine appearance.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This style grew under the support of <\/span><b>Maratha ruler Maharaja Serfoji II<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, who encouraged art and culture.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Today, Tanjore paintings are still made, and artists also paint <\/span><b>birds, animals and buildings<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> along with religious themes.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Mysore School of Painting<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Mysore paintings<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> began in South India during the <\/span><b>Vijayanagara period<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and later developed under the rulers of Mysore.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These paintings are known for their <\/span><b>soft colours<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, neat work and <\/span><b>very fine detailing<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The main subjects are <\/span><b>Hindu gods and goddesses<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and stories from <\/span><b>Indian epics and mythology<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Usually, <\/span><b>more than one figure<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is shown, but <\/span><b>one main figure is larger and brighter<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> than the others.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Artists used <\/span><b>thin lines and gentle brush strokes<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to give the figures a graceful look.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A special feature is the use of <\/span><b>gesso work<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, a paste used to raise designs of jewellery, clothes and temple pillars, which are then covered with <\/span><b>gold<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mysore rulers supported this art and it <\/span><b>continued even during the British period<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Pahari School of Painting<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Pahari painting<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> developed in the <\/span><b>sub-Himalayan regions<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, mainly in present-day <\/span><b>Himachal Pradesh, Jammu, parts of Punjab and Uttarakhand<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These areas had many <\/span><b>small Rajput kingdoms<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, where kings supported artists between the <\/span><b>17th and 19th centuries<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Paintings were made in royal workshops (called <\/span><b>atelier<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">) across about <\/span><b>22 princely states<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pahari paintings are mainly divided into <\/span><b>two schools<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: <\/span><b>Basholi School<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>Kangra School<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The paintings show stories from <\/span><b>mythology, literature and love themes<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, with <\/span><b>many moving figures<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on one canvas.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Each figure looks <\/span><b>different in colour, posture and expression<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, giving life to the scene.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Famous painters of this tradition include <\/span><b>Nainsukh, Manaku and Sansar Chand<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Basholi School of Painting<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Basholi (Basohli) School<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> was the <\/span><b>earliest Pahari painting style<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and developed in the Basholi region.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These paintings are known for <\/span><b>bold lines, bright colours<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> like red, yellow and green and <\/span><b>strong expressions<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Human figures have <\/span><b>large lotus-shaped eyes<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, expressive faces and a <\/span><b>receding hairline<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most paintings show <\/span><b>Radha\u2013Krishna stories<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and texts like <\/span><b>Rasamanjari, Gita Govinda and Ramayana<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Raja Kirpal Pal<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> was the first major patron of this school.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Devi Das<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> was the most famous painter, known for Radha-Krishna themes and royal portraits.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Kangra School of Painting<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Kangra School of painting<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> developed in <\/span><b>Himachal Pradesh<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> after Mughal artists moved to hill states when Mughal power declined.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It grew from the <\/span><b>Guler style<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and became the <\/span><b>most mature phase of Pahari painting<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in the late 18th century.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The school reached its <\/span><b>highest level under Raja Sansar Chand<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, who was a great patron of art.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These paintings are known for <\/span><b>soft lines, natural beauty and emotional expressions<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Women figures have <\/span><b>sharp chins, long eyes and gentle facial features<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Common themes include <\/span><b>Radha-Krishna love stories<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><b>Gita Govinda<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><b>Bhagavata Purana<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and the <\/span><b>Barahmasa (twelve months)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> theme.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kangra style later influenced painting centres in <\/span><b>Kullu, Chamba and Mandi<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Miniature Paintings in India explained with features, techniques, evolution and major schools like Mughal, Rajput, Pahari, Tanjore and Mysore.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":86392,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[786],"tags":[5199],"class_list":{"0":"post-86400","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-general-studies","8":"tag-miniature-paintings","9":"no-featured-image-padding"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/86400","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/25"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=86400"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/86400\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":86448,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/86400\/revisions\/86448"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/86392"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=86400"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=86400"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=86400"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}