RAJASTHANI

MINIATURE PAINTING
UT – 1
CLASS 12TH
( FINE ART PAINTING )
PRESENTED
BY
SHYAM KUMAR
 RAJASTHANI MINIATURE PAINTING
TOPIC TO BE COVERED IN THE CLASS
 Introduction to Rajasthan school of art
 Origin and development
 Sub – school of Rajasthan school
 Painting description
 Subject matter
 Characteristics of school
 Study of method and material and appreciation
of the following Rajasthani painting
STUDY OF THE RAJASTHANI PAINTING
 Title Painter Sub-School

 Maru-Ragini Sahibdin Mewar

 Raja Anirudh Singh Hara Utkal Ram Bundi
 Chaugan players Dana Jodhpur

 Krishna on swing Nuruddin Bikaner

 Radha (Bani-Thani ) Nihal Chand Kishangarh
 Bharat Meets Rama at Chitrakuta Guman Jaipur
ORIGIN AND DEVLOPMENT
1. In the beginning of the 15th century ,
2. Earlier it was famous for mural art .
3. Art was developed under the Rajput king .
4. The most development form of this art –style can be seen in the
paintings of Palam Bhagwat of 1555 A.D
5. Mostly paintings were done on romance and general folk themes and
the great art traditions of Ajanta and Gujrat .
6. The whole Rajasthan was affected by the attack of the Mughals but
Mewar did not come under their control till the last .
7. this was the reason that Rajasthani school flourished first in Mewar
( the purest form and later on in ) Jaipur, Jodhpur,Kota ,Kishan
Garh,Bikaner school and other places of Rajasthan .
8. Mewar has an important place in the development of Rajasthani school
of art .
9. The delineation of miniature paintings in the Jain Kalpasutra style was
started in Mewar ( Udaipur ) area of Rajasthan .
10. But rajasthani school of art is pure Indian art .
INTRUDUCTION

Time period : 16th 19 th century

Rajasthan : the place of Rajas (kings ) or place or
state ( Rajya’s ) as known as Rajasthan
Rajasthani art : Refined and purifiod from of art of
the same traditional art which was developed in
Rajasthan , Gujrat and Mewar as new school of art
 SPECIALITIES
 Specialities of the miniature painting panted in this region can be seen as
the following –sentimental face , sharp feature , imposing figures ,
presenting different humanly emotions , potential underlining and warm ,
primary colours showing unique richness .
SUBJECT MATTER
 In this miniatures the themes are mostly narrative ,
 But at the same time , these are independent .
 The miniatures based on Ragmala , Nayak-Nayaka- Bhedha, Barahmasa ,
Ramayana , Rashik-priya , Bihari- Satsai , legendary of lovers like Dhola-
Maru and ,Laila-Majnu, Vishnu-Dasavatara , Rasmanjari , Krishna –Lila ,
Bhagavata Purana, Prithviraj-Raso etc. are narrative , whereas scenes of
durbar , hunting ,royal processions , ceremonies , festivals , outings,
sporting , wine and music parties , harem-life .
CHARACTERISTICS OF RAJASTHANI SCHOOL OF ART
 Colour Scheme : Mostly bright glowing are colour used carefully .
 The main colours Red , Yellow , Blue ,Brown, White , Without mixing
any other colour are used .
 In some paintings Gold and Silver colours have been used .

 One some places flat colour background can be seen .

 Depiction of Nature : Nature has been beautifully depicted in
Rajasthani Paintings. Different trees, floral tree , mountains , water
springs and lakes have successfully depicted the beauty of nature .
 Depiction of women : Only in Kishangarh the women are depicted .
 The women of Kishangarh can be compared to the women of Kangra .
 The postal stamp was issued by the Indian Govt . On this painting .
 Symbolic Painting : Radha and krishna have been shown in the form of
soul and God Radha and Krishna have been beautifully painted in
school ofv Rajasthani
 Liner Beauty ; Rhythmic and graceful lines have been used in all
subschool of Rajasthan .the thin line are full of softness in paintings .
 Painting of leterature ; in literature Geet –Govind , Bhagwat puran,
Rag Mala , ‘ Ragas and Raginis ‘ have been beautifully painted in
rajasthan school of Art
 Religious Themes ; Religious themes based on Ramayana and
Bhagwat Geeta has been beautifully painted
 Landscape or Seasons painting ; Landscape has been beautifuly
painted in different seasons . Painting of ‘’ Barah Masa’’ is the
depiction of twelve months.
 Effact of Folk Art ; Folk Art is prominent in all Rajasthani painting
 Festivals ; Festivals have been painted in a beautiful style , in all over
Rajasthan .
 Garment ; Garments are highly decorative . Ladies have been shown
wearing high turbans and jhabba ( a bunch of threads ) Pajama and
Rajput style Patka is also there .
 Large Paintings ; In comparison to the other paintings of Rajasthan,
the Kishangarh paintings are larger in size known as ‘ pichuwayi ‘
(Back Curtain )These were used for plays at the back , but in Bikaner
school we find both miniature and wall paintings , also Kota and Bundi
has the same .
 Hunting Scenes ; Depiction of Animals and Birds are shown in hunting
scenes which is the effect of Mughal School of Art .
 Crowded Scenes ; In some paintings like ( krishna lifting Mount
Goverdhan men , women and animals are painting in crowed .
 MEWAR SCHOOL OF ART
 Patron ; Rana Pratap and Jagat Singh
 Time period ; in the beginning of the 15th century
 Influence ; Central Indian style , Western Indian , Gujrat –Jain Manuscript
and Persian
 Artist ; Sahibdin , Manohar
 Subject Matter ; Ragmala Series , Music most development from
‘’ Palam Bhagwat ’’
 Characteristic ; Bold colour, Angular , features mark the native style ,
Imperfect proportions, Natural drawing , projecting eyes eliminated
 Examples ; Maru Ragini in the sub-school famous painting
 Painted many great painting based on bhaktiropatras and
panchvyakhyanoropatra and the ragas
 Maru-Ragini
 Artist ; Sahibdin Circa : 1760 or
18th century ad
 Sub school ; Mewar ( Udaipur )
 Technique ; Tempera
 Medium ; Water colour on paper
( mineral colours )
 Collection ; National Museum New
Delhi .
 Subject Matter ; Based on Maru
Ragini . This concept narrated in
Murals and Miniature painting both .
 Composition ; It is vertical
composition . The painting has two
parts . Foreground and background is
shown in the picture .
 Calligraphic work ; Is done in
Devnagari Script done on the top
painting .
 Description .; In the upper part two fillings of king and queen is shown
riding a camel .
 One attendant is shown escorting the camel.
 The king is holding flower in his right hand .
 The camel is shown running in full enthusiasm .
 In the lower part we cab see two attendants are shown.
 At the back we see the sky in colour .
 A running dog can seen in the front of the attendants .
 Foreground is shown in the green and yellow .
Garment ; The dresses of all the figures are in flat colour
 Use of transparent white colour in apparels .
 Turbans of Mughals styles on their head .
 The king turban has been shown different from all the other turbans .
Colour Schim ; The colour are bright and natural , which tells
the story of heroines and heroes
 The sky is shown in blue colour
 Simple border of orange colour is made .
BUNDI SUB- SCHOOL OF ART
 Patron : Hara Rajput dynasty
 Time : 17th century
 Influence : Mughal influence in shading , finer lines and in
perspective .
 Bundi has a will practiced hand in portraits .
 Style was painted in Chunar -Ragmala series
 Artist : Utkal Ram
 Subject matter : Ragmala Series , Barahmasa , Rashikpriya
 Characteristics : More expressive figure then Mewar, Realistic and
natural forms , rich and brilliant colours, Refined fact
 Art skill style are uniq due to the conjugation of the Mughal and
Deccan art elements .
 Example : Raja Anirudh Singh Hara
 Raja Anirudh Singh Hara
 Painter : Utkal Ram
 Medium : water colour on paper
 Century : Early 18th Century
 Sub- School : Bundi ( Rajasthan )
 Technique : Tempera
 Collection : National
Museum ,New Delhi
 Subject matter : this art- work is a
portrait of bravery . The prince
Raja Anirudh Singh Hara is sitting
on the back of a running horse
who is making power show .
 Descrpition :
 In this painting, a young Rajput king has been shown wearing decorated
apparels, jewels, and a wonderfully decorated turban of Mughal style on his
head .
 His eyes have been shown rather sentimental . The particular attraction of
this painting is the straight stretched tail of the horse .
 All the ornamental elements in this painting have been painted in red,
orange and yellow-brown colours.
 White – coloured horse and apparels of the king have been delineated in
charming combination .
 The king as been sown holding the rein of the horse in is left hand very
proudly and in is right hand, he has been holding a beautiful flower .
 In the background of the painting, the combination of deep colours has
been used in such a way that the main object seems protruding and to be
successful in centring the attention of the people .
JODHPUR SUB-SCHOOL
 Patron : Jain Merchants , Raja Man Singh
 Time : 1760 to 19th Century
 Influence : Jain style of painting ,Mughal influence in royal portraits
 Artist : Dana
 Subject matter : Illustrations based on Siva Puran , Nilacharita ,
Durga Charita and Panchatantra
 CHARACTEISTICS ; Charming simplicity in female figures, Beautiful
long uplifted eyes .
 Example : Chaugan players
 CHAUGAN PLAYER
Artist ; Dana / period 18 th
century

Sub-School : Jodhpur
 Technique ; Tempera medium ; water colour
on paper ( mineral Colour )
 Collection : National Museum of Art , New
Delhi .
 SUBJECT MATTER : The painting is based on
the general life style of the royal women those
are playing polo .
 Composition ; it is a horizontal composition .
 whole composition is divided in upper and Lower
part .
 Six figure are shown in the painting sitting on the
horse and playing polo .
 The background is flat .
 In the upper part of the painting Calligraphy is
done .
 In the lower part grass is shown to depict the
ground .
 There are six animal figures that is horse are also
shown .
 Colour Scheme ; Bright Colour used . Variety of colour like red ,
yellow , green ultramarine blue ,and orange used .
 Alight green colour used in the foreground in the grass .
 Horses are painted with white , blue and Deep green colour .
Description ; In the painting two princes are shown playing polo with
her Four maids .
 In the upper section two princess are shown sitting on horses .
 The horse are inside the painting . But the face of the other horses in the
lower part are outer side of the painting
 The faces of the all the all the human figure are shown inward and in
profile faces (Ek Chasm eye ) .
 All the eyes of the ladies are elongated up to their temples .
 The skirts are spread on the horses back like belly style .
 Horses are fully well decorated .
 Trying to take the red coloured ball into their own control with their sticks
 Mounted on their horses moving into different directions
 Figures have been perfectly depicted against the coloured background .
BIKANER SUB- SCHOOL
 Patron .; Raja Rai Singh , Karan Singh and Anup Singh
 Time ; After 17th century
 Influence ; Mughal Influence
 Artist ; Nuruddin , Ali Raza , Murad , Sahibdin ,Ruknuddin ,
 Subject matter ; Indian Hindu mythology , Ragmala , Rashik
priya , Bhagvat Geeta , Varsha Vihar , Barahmasa ,
 The painting accepted the tradition of Bikaner style
 Characteristics ; Finer lines, Lesser range of colours, Artist
Muslim but painted Hindu concepts
 Element of Mughal art .
 Example ; Meghdoot , Barahmasa and Ragmala on the walls of
Anup Mahal , Krishna on Swing ( 1683 A.D )
 Krishna on swing
 Artist ; Nuruddin
 Circa ; 1683 A.D
 Sub-school ; Bekaner
 Technique ; Tempara
 Medium ; Water colour on paper
 Collection ; National Museum New Delhi .
 Subject - matter ; Based on Rasik Priya poetry of
Keshava Das .
 On day Krishna takes Gopi with him on the swing other
Radha .
 This behaviour of Krishna offended Radha whose love will
not tolerate any other between them .
 On this Radha feel betrayed and upset .
 Composition ; It is a vertical composition but
painting has two panels .
 It seems like that ,the artist slightly have changed the
episode .
 The upper part of the panel relates to the first part of the
episode .
 In the lower part of the painting other figures are shown
sitting and talking to each other . We can see few of the
trees at the back of the figures which is dividing the
painting in two parts .
 Description ; Upper panel in the left side Krishna is sitting along on a
ornamented base of a hexagonal swing .
 He is looking towards Radha who is sitting in the parch ( belcony ) of his right
side .
 His upper half blue colour body is almost naked but few ornaments made of
pearls
 Jewels have been shown around his neck that hanged on the chest
 Shoulders and ornamented crown has also been shown on his head
 West he has worn an orange coloured printed called dhoti .
 Krishna is intently looking towards Radha sitting on a balcony of his right side
 She has covered her head with a transparent traditional Ghaghra and chunri .
 She sitting on a red carpet .
 Radha too is looking at Krishna . At the back of both the figures pillows are
shown .
 to ease the bodies of both Radha Krishna in the back side are put round
pillows
 Lower panel of the painting Radha and Krishna are sitting separately on
red carpet under a tree .
 The dresses are similar are similar to those shown in the upper panel
 At the back of Krishna and Radha pillows and trees are shown .
 The eyes and faces of the both the figures are full of betray grief and
pain .
 A figure as attendant of Radha is shown giving a message by Radha to
the Krishna .
 The action of the figure are clearly shows the words of the Radha
 The colour of Krishna dhoti has been show yellow .
 Radhas attendant has been shown standing beside Krishna
 Attendant she has com to Krishna taking some message of Radha
 Artist has also painted the Architecture very beautifully
 Placed and bright colouring and feature are Bikaner style .
 Colour schim ; Softer tones of the colour are thin and sharp .
 White colours is used for the ornaments .
 Green colour is used in the trees and mound of painting is also shown
in the mixture of green and yellow colour .
 Garment and Ornament ; Krishna is shown in blue colour and wiring a
red dhoti and body is shown naked .
 Krishna is wiring ornaments of white colour .
 In the lower part of the painting Krishna is wiring yellow dhoti
 Radha is shown wiring yellow colour cloth
 Both the figures of Krishna and Radha are sitting on red carpet .
 Background of the lower part is the mixture of green and yellow
colour .
 The other figure of attendant is shown in Violet and red colour with
strips clothes .
 Radha is shown wiring traditional clothes ( Ghagra and Choli ) .
 Had of the Radha is covered with transparent chunni .
 Characteristics of the painting : Painting is nearer to
indigenous Rajput consciousness .
 The painting reflects folk art where's in its fine craftsmanship
technical execution .
 Clumps of the trees and their leaves are fully detailed . The lines in
the painting are rhythmic
 KISHANGARH SUB-SCHOOL

 Patron : Raja Kishan Singh ,Raja Raj Singh ,Raja Sawant Singh
 Time : 18TH Century
 Influence : Mughal influence
 Artist : Nihal Chand , Bhawani Das , Suarat Ram
 Subject matter : Portraits of Raja Sawant Singh , Bihari Chandrika ,
Nayak – Nayaka Bheda , Geet Govind , illustration on Sawant Singh
poetry
 Characteristics : Fine depiction of women, facial feature beauty
 Examples : Radha ( Bani Thani )
RADHA BANI THANI

 Artist ; Nihal Chand

 Period ; 1760 AD
 Sub-school ; Kishan Garh
 Technique ; Tempera
 Medium ; Water colour on paper
( Mineral colour )
 Collection ; National Museum of
Art , New Delhi .
 Subject-matter ; This painting is
related to the Raja Sawant Singh
of Kishangarh . Radha Bani- thani
was the colour dancer and
beloved of the Sawant Singh .
 Compotation : Artist depicted the femail portait upto waist with elegent and
graceful features .
 It is a vertical composition
 Description : it is will turned out art piece of Nihal Chand
 Radha is smiling mysteriously and eyes with womanly beauty are worth seeing
 Her face has been shown elongated in size .
 The forehead is in proper curvature , high and sloping .
 The nose is sharp and long and bulging out well cut thin red lips .
 She has arched eyebrows and pointed chin .
 The eyes of the figure is petal like and shown in EK chasm profile face .
 Her hairs are daggling on the cheeks . In her right hand she is holding two pink
and white lotus buds .
 She is holding a her edge of transparent odhni with her right hand .
 the odhni is shown transparent to show the beauty of the pearl like necklace she
is wearing of white and ultramarine blue colour .
 She is wearing a traditional choli full of floral design .
 Colour Scheme : The background has shown with deep blue-black
colour .
 Her choli is painted with peach colour .
 She is wearing green colour bangles .
 We can the traditional mehndi colour on her hands .
 The white colour and details in the necklace is increasing of the painting .
 Characteristics : The Government of India issued a postel stamps of the
miniature painting .
 JAIPUR SUB-SCHOOL
 Patron : Raja Sawal Jai Singh I, Akbar
 Time : 18th Century
 Influence : not much of known
 Artist : Guman , Mohammad Shah , Sahib Ram
 Subject-matter : Hindu episode ,Lord Krishna, Ragmala ,Bhagavat
Gita , Ramayana , Mahabharat , Rajput Princess , Camel fights ,
ceremony of Royal court , Erotic themes
 Characteristics : Limited colours , sense of space in background ,
bold composition , life size portraits ,
 Example ; Bharat meets Rama at Chitrakuta ( a scene from Ramayana )
BHARAT MEETS RAMA AT CHITRAKUTA

 Artist : Guman
 Period :18th Century( 1740- 50 )
 Sub-school : Jaipur
 Technique : Tempera
 Medium : water colour on [paper
( mineral colour )
 Collection : National Museum
New Delhi .
 Subject- Matter : The painting
depicts a scene from Ramayana,
when Bharat comes to Chitrakuta
to meet Rama with his 3 brothers
and Guru Vishvamitra .
 Compotation : Various episodes has shown in the painting .
 There are total 49 figure in the painting .
 In the background hills are shown in the painting .
 In front part water pond shown with lotus flowers .
 Colour Scheme : In the painting different shade of green used lavishly
 The background of the painting is shown full of trees with green
 All the place Rama is shown in black or blue colour
 Mother are shown in white dress and Rishis has been shown in white
beard and writing a pink and yellow ( ruddle ) colour clothes .
 Sita is shown in orange clothes .
 Other female figures are wearing pink colour clothes
 The base of the painting is shown in peach colour which is given base to
all the figure to come out of the composition .
 Future : this painting made at the time of Raja Sawai Jai Singh .
 At this time Mughal influence started in the paintings .
 Description : in this painting painter Guman has painted an episode of the
Ramayana
 In 49 very ordinary human figure
 All have been sown trying to persuade Rama Lakshman and Sita to back to
Ayodhya .
 Dark skinned Rama , with halo , has been show in ruddle –coloured clothes
 All the Mother have have been in white clothes .
 Bharat and Satrughna have worn similar light pink clotes
 The preceptors have been shown in white beard and wearing pink and
ruddle-coloured clothes .
 Sita as well as the other wives have worn pink-coloured sarees .
 Some of the pictures have been shown in motion and the others stagnant .
 In the upper part of the painting, Rama, Laksman and Sita have been shown
in different countenances greeting the mothers.
 Below Rama is shown making hospitality of the preceptors .
 At one place, having heard the sad news of the death of his father ,
Dasharath, Rama has been shown fainted .
 In upper portion, Sita is discussing with her mothers-in-law and other .
 At one place, Rama has been shown begging apologize from his
preceptors-( the rishies ),and Lakshman standing behind him .
 Bharat and Shatrughna have been shown sitting together.
 And in the end, ave been shown standing on right side in a line.
 Probably, this is the time of farewell.
 In the background of the painting,dark green hut has been shown on which
a black-coloured special structure has been painted .
 Behind that, mony trees, flowers and plants were also depicted .
 Behind these trees a hill has been shown . In front part of the painting, there
is a water source in which so many blossomy flowers of lotus have been
shown.
 Near the water sourse, there is a clump of trees .
 The base of the painting has been painted by diluting the ruddle colour
which is giving base to all the figure .
 This is one of the unique paintings that were painted in patronage of the
ruler of Jaipur , Sawai Jai Singh , in the middle of 18th century .