Painting Art of Rajasthan
Rajasthan is literally the land of kings. Various parts of the region have been ruled by various Rajput clans for centuries. They were known not only for their fighting skills and valour but also for their patronage of arts and culture. Their prowess in architecture is well known considering the massive forts, palaces and temples that attract thousands of tourists every year But Rajasthan also infinite riches in terms of paintings. While it is a vast field and cannot be explored completely even in one life time, let us try to have a brief introduction of historical Rajasthani paintings.
Painting is mentioned as 1 of 64 Kalas (arts) in ancient Indian texts. Historical art of Paintings in India can be classified into two different segments:
- A. Murals or Wall Paintings
- B. Miniature Paintings.
- Mural Painting: A mural is any piece of artwork painted or applied directly on a wall; ceiling or other large permanent surfaceArchitectural elements of the given space are harmoniously incorporated into the picture.
Method of Paintings:
1. True Fresco Method: The paintings are done when the surface wall is still wet so that the pigments go deep inside the wall surface. The Technique of mural painting executed upon freshly-laid or wet lime plaster, water is used as the vehicle for the pigment to merge with the plaster, and with the setting of the plaster and the painting becomes an integral part of the wall.
2. Tempora or Fresco-Secco: The Method of painting on the lime plastered surface which has been allowed to dry first and then drenched with fresh lime water.
Shekhawati Paintings:
- It is covered by the two modern districts of Jhunjhunu and Sikar
- Geometric and floral designs.
- The interior work is usually painted Secco, using tempera, onto dry plaster.
B. Miniature Paintings of Rajasthan:
The art of Miniature painting was introduced to the land of India by the Mughals, who brought the much-revealed art form from Persia. In the sixteenth century, the Mughal ruler Humayun brought artists from Persia, who specialized in miniature painting. The succeeding Mughal Emperor, Akbar built an atelier for them to promote the rich art form. These artists, on their part, trained Indian artists who produced paintings in a new distinctive style, inspired by the royal and romantic lives of the Mughals. The particular miniature produced by Indian artists in their own style is known as Rajput or Rajasthani miniature. During this time, several schools of painting evolved, such as Mewar (Udaipur), Bundi, Kotah, Marwar (Jodhpur), Bikaner, Jaipur, and Kishangarh.
- Besligre has supported the name of “Rajput School of Painting” for Rajasthani Painting.
- Rajasthani Painting Themes – events of epics like the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, Krishna’s life, beautiful landscapes, and humans
- Precious stones, Gold and silver were used
- Mughal Influence was also there
- Dominance of Chaurapanchasika group style in Indian Rajasthani Paintings.
These paintings are done with utmost care and in minute details, with strong lines and bold colours set in harmonious patterns. The miniature artists use paper, ivory panels, wooden tablets, leather, marble, cloth and walls for their paintings. Indian artists employed multiple perspectives unlike their European counterparts in their paintings. The colours are made from minerals and vegetables, precious stones, as well as pure silver and gold. The preparing and mixing of colour is an elaborate process. It takes weeks, sometimes months, to get the desired results. The brushes are required to be very fine, and to get high-quality results, brushes even to this very day are made from hair of squirrels. Traditionally, the paintings are aristocratic, individualistic and strong in portraiture, where the plush court scenes and hunting expedition of royalty are depicted. Flowers and animals are also the recurrent images in the paintings.
The Kishangarh province in Rajasthan is known for its Bani Thani paintings. It is a totally different style with highly exaggerated features like long necks, large, almond shaped eyes, and long fingers. This style of painting essentially depicts Radha and Krishna as divine lovers, and beautifully portrays their mystical love. Kishangarh miniature painting reached a peak in the eighteenth century, during the rule of Raja Sawant Singh, who fell in love with a slave girl, Bani Thani and commanded his artists to portray himself and her as Krishna and Radha. Other themes of Bani Thani paintings include portraits, court scenes, dancing, hunting, music parties, nauka vihar (lovers travelling in a boat), Krishna Lila, Bhagavata Purana and various other festivals like Holi, Diwali, Durga puja, and Dussehra.
Today, many artists continue to make miniature paintings on silk, ivory, cotton, and paper. However, with the passage of time, the natural colours have been replaced by poster colours. The schools of miniature have also been commercialized, and the artists mostly replicate the work produced by the old painters.