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Questions and Answers
The term 'Rajasthani Schools of Painting' pertains to the schools of painting that prevailed in the princely ______ and thikanas of what roughly constitutes Rajasthan.
The term 'Rajasthani Schools of Painting' pertains to the schools of painting that prevailed in the princely ______ and thikanas of what roughly constitutes Rajasthan.
kingdoms
[Blank] coined the term 'Rajput Paintings' in 1916 to refer to the rulers and patrons of these kingdoms, categorising them separately from the Mughal School of Painting.
[Blank] coined the term 'Rajput Paintings' in 1916 to refer to the rulers and patrons of these kingdoms, categorising them separately from the Mughal School of Painting.
Anand Coomaraswamy
Though separated by short distances, the pictorial styles that emerged and evolved in these kingdoms were significantly diverse in terms of execution, preference of colours, compositional elements, modes of narration, affinity for naturalism or emphasis on extreme ______.
Though separated by short distances, the pictorial styles that emerged and evolved in these kingdoms were significantly diverse in terms of execution, preference of colours, compositional elements, modes of narration, affinity for naturalism or emphasis on extreme ______.
mannerism
Paintings were painted on waslis - layered, ______ sheets of handmade papers glued together to get the desired thickness.
Paintings were painted on waslis - layered, ______ sheets of handmade papers glued together to get the desired thickness.
The outline was sketched on waslis in black or brown followed by colours fixed therein by brief ______ or sample patches.
The outline was sketched on waslis in black or brown followed by colours fixed therein by brief ______ or sample patches.
Colour pigments were predominantly obtained from minerals and precious metals like gold and silver that were mixed with ______ as the binding medium.
Colour pigments were predominantly obtained from minerals and precious metals like gold and silver that were mixed with ______ as the binding medium.
On completion of the painting, it was burnished with an ______ to lend it a uniform sheen and an appealing resplendence.
On completion of the painting, it was burnished with an ______ to lend it a uniform sheen and an appealing resplendence.
The painting activity was a kind of ______, with the master artist composing and doing preliminary drawings, followed by pupils or experts doing their bit, and finally, the master artist putting the finishing touches
The painting activity was a kind of ______, with the master artist composing and doing preliminary drawings, followed by pupils or experts doing their bit, and finally, the master artist putting the finishing touches
By the sixteenth century, ______ in the cults of Rama and Krishna had become popular in many parts of western, northern and central India as part of the Bhakti movement
By the sixteenth century, ______ in the cults of Rama and Krishna had become popular in many parts of western, northern and central India as part of the Bhakti movement
The notion of 'love' was cherished as a religious theme, where a delightful synthesis of sensuousness and ______ was perceived.
The notion of 'love' was cherished as a religious theme, where a delightful synthesis of sensuousness and ______ was perceived.
Gita Govinda, composed in the twelfth century by ______, is a lyrical poem in Sanskrit, evoking shringara rasa, portraying the mystical love between Radha and Krishna through worldly imageries.
Gita Govinda, composed in the twelfth century by ______, is a lyrical poem in Sanskrit, evoking shringara rasa, portraying the mystical love between Radha and Krishna through worldly imageries.
Bhanu Datta, composed another favourite text of artists, ______, interpreted as the ‘Bouquet of Delight'. Written in Sanskrit, the text is a treatise on rasa.
Bhanu Datta, composed another favourite text of artists, ______, interpreted as the ‘Bouquet of Delight'. Written in Sanskrit, the text is a treatise on rasa.
Rasikapriya, translated as “The Connoisseur's Delight', is replete with complex poetic interpretations and was composed to incite aesthetic pleasure to elite ______.
Rasikapriya, translated as “The Connoisseur's Delight', is replete with complex poetic interpretations and was composed to incite aesthetic pleasure to elite ______.
Kavipriya, written by Keshav Das, is a tale of love and its tenth chapter evocatively titled ______ engages with the most enduring climactic description of the 12 months of the year.
Kavipriya, written by Keshav Das, is a tale of love and its tenth chapter evocatively titled ______ engages with the most enduring climactic description of the 12 months of the year.
Bihari Satsai, authored by ______, is composed in the form of aphorisms and moralising witticism.
Bihari Satsai, authored by ______, is composed in the form of aphorisms and moralising witticism.
Ragamala paintings are pictorial interpretations of ______ and raginis.
Ragamala paintings are pictorial interpretations of ______ and raginis.
Each ragamala family is headed by a male raga, having six female consorts called ______.
Each ragamala family is headed by a male raga, having six female consorts called ______.
Texts, such as the Ramayana, Bhagvata Purana, Mahabharata, Devi Mahatmya and the like were favourites with all schools of ______.
Texts, such as the Ramayana, Bhagvata Purana, Mahabharata, Devi Mahatmya and the like were favourites with all schools of ______.
The ______ School flourished between 1600 and 1700 CE and is most representative of the Hindu Rajput courts.
The ______ School flourished between 1600 and 1700 CE and is most representative of the Hindu Rajput courts.
Unlike the specificity of Rajasthani schools that emerged and flourished in precise territorial kingdoms and courts of their respective kings, Malwa School defies a precise centre for its ______.
Unlike the specificity of Rajasthani schools that emerged and flourished in precise territorial kingdoms and courts of their respective kings, Malwa School defies a precise centre for its ______.
Ragamala painting is an illustrated poetic text of Amaru Shataka dated 1652 CE and a ______ by Madho Das in 1680 CE.
Ragamala painting is an illustrated poetic text of Amaru Shataka dated 1652 CE and a ______ by Madho Das in 1680 CE.
The ______ School dominates the scene from the sixteenth century through the courts of Delhi, Agra, Fatehpur Sikri and Lahore.
The ______ School dominates the scene from the sixteenth century through the courts of Delhi, Agra, Fatehpur Sikri and Lahore.
The Deccani School flourished in centers, such as Ahmednagar, Bijapur, Golconda and Hyderabad from the sixteenth ______.
The Deccani School flourished in centers, such as Ahmednagar, Bijapur, Golconda and Hyderabad from the sixteenth ______.
[Blank] is conjectured to be a significant early centre of painting in Rajasthan, from where, hypothetically, one would have been able to formalise a continuous stylistic tradition of painting.
[Blank] is conjectured to be a significant early centre of painting in Rajasthan, from where, hypothetically, one would have been able to formalise a continuous stylistic tradition of painting.
The emergence of the Mewar School is widely associated with an early dated set of ______ paintings painted at Chawand in 1605 by an artist named Nisardin.
The emergence of the Mewar School is widely associated with an early dated set of ______ paintings painted at Chawand in 1605 by an artist named Nisardin.
The reign of Jagat Singh I (1628–1652) is recognised as the period when pictorial aesthetics got reformulated under virtuoso artists Sahibdin and ______.
The reign of Jagat Singh I (1628–1652) is recognised as the period when pictorial aesthetics got reformulated under virtuoso artists Sahibdin and ______.
Attributed to ingenious artist Sahibdin, ______, the Book of Battles, is a chapter in the Ramayana set of paintings, popularly referred to as the Jagat Singh Ramayana.
Attributed to ingenious artist Sahibdin, ______, the Book of Battles, is a chapter in the Ramayana set of paintings, popularly referred to as the Jagat Singh Ramayana.
Nathdwara, a town close to Udaipur and a prominent ______ center, also emerged as a school of painting in the late seventeenth century.
Nathdwara, a town close to Udaipur and a prominent ______ center, also emerged as a school of painting in the late seventeenth century.
Large backdrops called ______ were painted on cloth for the deity, Shrinathji, for several festive occasions in Nathdwara school of painting.
Large backdrops called ______ were painted on cloth for the deity, Shrinathji, for several festive occasions in Nathdwara school of painting.
A prolific and distinct school of painting flourished in ______ in the seventeenth century, which is remarkable for its unblemished colour sense and excellent formal design.
A prolific and distinct school of painting flourished in ______ in the seventeenth century, which is remarkable for its unblemished colour sense and excellent formal design.
Bundi Ragamala dated 1591, assigned to the earliest and formative phase of Bundi painting, has been painted at ______ in the reign of Bhoj Singh
Bundi Ragamala dated 1591, assigned to the earliest and formative phase of Bundi painting, has been painted at ______ in the reign of Bhoj Singh
Innovative developments have been observed under the reigns of his successors Aniruddha Singh (1682–1702) and ______ Singh, whose whiskered face is visible in many portraits.
Innovative developments have been observed under the reigns of his successors Aniruddha Singh (1682–1702) and ______ Singh, whose whiskered face is visible in many portraits.
Bundi paintings during the eighteenth century appear to have imbibed ______ aesthetics, such as love for bright and vivid colours.
Bundi paintings during the eighteenth century appear to have imbibed ______ aesthetics, such as love for bright and vivid colours.
A distinct feature of Bundi and Kota School is a keen interest in the depiction of lush vegetation; picturesque landscape with varied ______, wildlife and birds; hills and thick jungles; and water bodies.
A distinct feature of Bundi and Kota School is a keen interest in the depiction of lush vegetation; picturesque landscape with varied ______, wildlife and birds; hills and thick jungles; and water bodies.
Bundi Ragamala bears an inscription in Persian that dates back to 1591, mentions names of its artists-Shaykh Hasan, Shaykh Ali and Shaykh Hatim, who introduce themselves as pupils of master artists, Mir Sayyid Ali and Khwaja Abddus ______ of the Mughal court.
Bundi Ragamala bears an inscription in Persian that dates back to 1591, mentions names of its artists-Shaykh Hasan, Shaykh Ali and Shaykh Hatim, who introduce themselves as pupils of master artists, Mir Sayyid Ali and Khwaja Abddus ______ of the Mughal court.
The accomplished tradition of painting at Bundi gave rise to one of the most outstanding Rajasthani Schools, ______, which excels in the depiction of hunting scenes and reflects an exceptional excitement and obsession for animal chase.
The accomplished tradition of painting at Bundi gave rise to one of the most outstanding Rajasthani Schools, ______, which excels in the depiction of hunting scenes and reflects an exceptional excitement and obsession for animal chase.
Kota paintings are characteristically spontaneous, calligraphic in execution and emphasise on marked shading, especially, the ______-lid eye.
Kota paintings are characteristically spontaneous, calligraphic in execution and emphasise on marked shading, especially, the ______-lid eye.
Rao Bika Rathore established one of the most prominent kingdoms of Rajasthan, ______, in 1488.
Rao Bika Rathore established one of the most prominent kingdoms of Rajasthan, ______, in 1488.
Karan Singh had employed Ustad Ali Raza, who was a master painter from Delhi. His earliest work represents the beginnings of ______ School, which can be dated back to around 1650.
Karan Singh had employed Ustad Ali Raza, who was a master painter from Delhi. His earliest work represents the beginnings of ______ School, which can be dated back to around 1650.
A prevailing practice in Bikaner was to set up studios called ______, where a group of artists worked under the supervision of a master artist.
A prevailing practice in Bikaner was to set up studios called ______, where a group of artists worked under the supervision of a master artist.
The custom of having portraits of artists is unique to the ______ School and most of them are inscribed with information regarding their ancestry.
The custom of having portraits of artists is unique to the ______ School and most of them are inscribed with information regarding their ancestry.
Widely held among the most stylised of all Rajasthani miniatures, ______ paintings are distinguished by their exquisite sophistication and distinct facial type exemplified by arched eyebrows, lotus petal shaped eyes slightly tinged with pink, having drooping eyelids, a sharp slender nose and thin lips.
Widely held among the most stylised of all Rajasthani miniatures, ______ paintings are distinguished by their exquisite sophistication and distinct facial type exemplified by arched eyebrows, lotus petal shaped eyes slightly tinged with pink, having drooping eyelids, a sharp slender nose and thin lips.
Kishan Singh, one of the sons of the king of Jodhpur, founded the state of Kishangarh in ______.
Kishan Singh, one of the sons of the king of Jodhpur, founded the state of Kishangarh in ______.
A distinctive style of the Kishangarh state with a general tendency to elongate the human form, making lavish use of green and penchant for depicting panoramic landscapes had evolved by the early eighteenth century during the reign of Raj Singh (1706–1748). With Raj Singh getting initiated into the Pushtimargiya cult of ______, Krishna Lila themes became personal favourites for the rulers of Kishangarh
A distinctive style of the Kishangarh state with a general tendency to elongate the human form, making lavish use of green and penchant for depicting panoramic landscapes had evolved by the early eighteenth century during the reign of Raj Singh (1706–1748). With Raj Singh getting initiated into the Pushtimargiya cult of ______, Krishna Lila themes became personal favourites for the rulers of Kishangarh
[Blank]'s most celebrated and outstanding artist was Nihal Chand. Nihal Chand worked for ______ between 1735 and 1757, and composed paintings on ______'s poetry that portrayed the theme of divine lovers
[Blank]'s most celebrated and outstanding artist was Nihal Chand. Nihal Chand worked for ______ between 1735 and 1757, and composed paintings on ______'s poetry that portrayed the theme of divine lovers
Flashcards
Rajasthani Schools of Painting
Rajasthani Schools of Painting
Schools of painting in princely kingdoms of Rajasthan and parts of Madhya Pradesh from the 16th to early 19th centuries.
Rajput Paintings
Rajput Paintings
Term coined by Anand Coomaraswamy in 1916 to categorize paintings from Rajput-ruled kingdoms.
Rajput Painting Ambit
Rajput Painting Ambit
Malwa School comprises princedoms of Central India, and Pahari Schools include mountainous Himalayan region.
Wasli
Wasli
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Vaishnavism's rise
Vaishnavism's rise
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Gita Govinda
Gita Govinda
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Rasamanjari
Rasamanjari
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Ragamala Paintings
Ragamala Paintings
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Mewar School
Mewar School
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Sahibdin
Sahibdin
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Pichhwais
Pichhwais
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Bundi School
Bundi School
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Bundi Ragamala
Bundi Ragamala
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Kota School
Kota School
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Bikaner School
Bikaner School
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Mandi
Mandi
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Ustad
Ustad
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Kishangarh School
Kishangarh School
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Jodhpur School
Jodhpur School
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mid- seventeenth century
mid- seventeenth century
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Study Notes
The Rajasthani Schools of Painting
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Originated in princely kingdoms and thikanas of Rajasthan and parts of Madhya Pradesh
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Existed largely between the sixteenth and early nineteenth centuries
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Included Mewar, Bundi, Kota, Jaipur, Bikaner, Kishangarh, Jodhpur (Marwar), Malwa, and Sirohi
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Scholar Anand Coomaraswamy coined "Rajput Paintings" in 1916
- Referred to rulers and patrons of these kingdoms as Rajputs
- Categorized and differentiated them from the Mughal School of Painting
- Included Malwa princedoms of Central India and Pahari Schools of the Himalayan region
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Coomaraswamy's nomenclature represented the indigenous painting tradition predating Mughal influence
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Studies in Indian paintings evolved and use specific categories like Rajasthani and Pahari
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Pictorial styles varied across kingdoms in execution, color preference, composition, narration, and affinity for naturalism
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Paintings were created on waslis
- Layered, thin sheets of handmade papers glued together to achieve the desired thickness
- Outlines sketched in black or brown, followed by color fixation with notations
- Color pigments derived from minerals and precious metals mixed with glue
- Brushes made from camel and squirrel hair
- Completed paintings were burnished with agate for a uniform sheen
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Painting as a team effort
- Master artist composed and made preliminary drawings
- Pupils or experts handled coloring, portraiture, architecture, landscape, and animals
- The master artist added finishing touches
- Scribes wrote verses in designated spaces
Themes of Paintings – An Overview
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Vaishnavism and cults of Rama and Krishna became popular through the Bhakti movement by the sixteenth century
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Krishna perceived as God and an ideal lover, fostering sensuousness and mysticism
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Gita Govinda, composed by Jayadeva in the twelfth century
- A lyrical Sanskrit poem evoking shringara rasa
- Portrays the mystical love between Radha and Krishna through worldly imageries
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Rasamanjari by Bhanu Datta in the fourteenth century
- Interpreted as ‘Bouquet of Delight’, treatise on rasa
- Classified heroes (nayakas) and heroines (nayikas) by age and physiognomic traits
- Krishna was introduced as archetype lover
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Rasikapriya
- Translated as ‘The Connoisseur's Delight’
- Meant to incite aesthetic pleasure
- Explores emotive states of Radha and Krishna
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Kavipriya
- Written by Keshav Das in honor of Rai Parbin
- Includes climactic description of the 12 months of the year in Baramasa
- Depicts daily life, festivals, and the nayika persuading the nayaka to stay
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Bihari Satsai by Bihari Lal
- Composed of 700 verses with aphorisms and moralizing witticism
- Written around 1662
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The Satsai was painted largely at Mewar and less in the Pahari school
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Ragamala paintings: pictorial interpretations of ragas and raginis
- Ragas were envisioned in divine or human form in romantic or devotional contexts
- Each raga was associated with a mood, time, and season
- Arranged in albums with 36 or 42 folios in family formats
- Each family had a male raga and six female consorts (raginis)
- Six main ragas: Bhairava, Malkos, Hindol, Dipak, Megha, and Shri
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Bardic legends and other romantic tales served as themes
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Texts like the Ramayana, Bhagvata Purana, Mahabharata, and Devi Mahatmya were favorites
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Paintings recorded darbar scenes and historic moments
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Depicted hunting expeditions, wars, picnics, garden parties, dance, music, rituals, festivals, weddings, portraits of kings and families, city views, birds, and animals
Malwa School of Painting
- Flourished between 1600 and 1700 CE, representing Hindu Rajput courts
- Two-dimensional simplistic language emerged as stylistic progression from Jain to Chaurpanchashika manuscripts
- Lacked precise center for its origin, suggesting its spread across Central India
- Articulated in places like Mandu, Nusratgarh, and Narsyang Sahar
- Illustrated Amaru Shataka (1652 CE) and Ragamala by Madho Das (1680 CE)
- Paintings discovered from the Datia Palace support a claim for Bundelkhand
- Mural paintings in Datia Palace
- Defy Mughal influence
- Works on paper are inclined to two-dimensional austerity
- Absence of patron kings' mentions and portraits support paintings being purchased from traveling artists
Mewar School of Painting
- Conjectured to be an early center of painting in Rajasthan
- Stylistic tradition evolved from bold, indigenous styles to refined forms post-Karan Singh’s contact with Mughals
- Early examples were diminished by wars with the Mughals
- Associated with Ragamala paintings created in Chawand in 1605 by Nisardin
- Shared visual aesthetics and close affinity with pre-seventeenth-century painting style
- The reign of Jagat Singh I (1628–1652) marked pictorial aesthetics reformulated by Sahibdin and Manohar
- Sahibdin painted the Ragamala (1628), Rasikapriya, Bhagvata Purana (1648), and Yuddha Kanda of Ramayana (1652)
- Manohar's significant work is Bal Kanda of Ramayana (1649)
- Jagannath painted the Bihari Satsai in 1719
- Yuddha Kanda had oblique aerial perspective
- Used by Sahibdin
- Narrative techniques include layering episodes or spreading an episode over folios
- Paintings in the eighteenth century gravitated away from textual representations toward courtly activities
- Mewar artists favored a bright color palette with reds and yellows
- Nathdwara which is close to Udaipur, emerged as painting school in the 17th Century
- Large backdrops called pichhwais painted on cloth for Shrinathji during festive occasions
- Painting became secular and courtly in ambience
- Increase in flamboyance and fascination for portraits, hunting expeditions, festivals, zenana, sports etc
Bundi School of Painting
- Flourished in the seventeenth century with color sense and formal design
- Bundi Ragamala dated 1591 painted at Chunar during Bhoj Singh’s reign (1585–1607)
- School blossomed under Rao Chattar Sal (1631–1659) and Rao Bhao Singh (1659–1682)
- Rao Chattar Sal was the governor of Delhi and played a role in subjugating the Deccan
- Rao Bhao Singh commissioned portraits and innovative developments occurred during Aniruddha Singh (1682–1702) and Budh Singh’s reigns
- Painting activity entered its phase under Umed Singh (1749–1771), acquiring detail
- Bundi paintings imbibed Deccani aesthetics during the eighteenth century with bright colors
- Bishen Singh (1771–1821) was a connoisseur of art and keen on hunting
- Ram Singh (1821–1889) decorated the Bundi palace with mural paintings of processions, hunting, and Krishna’s story
- Distinct Bundi and Kota School features
- Lush vegetation, landscapes, wildlife, hills, jungles, and water bodies
- fine equestrian portraits
- Drawings of elephants surpassed
- Women with standards like round faces, receding foreheads, sharp noses, full cheeks, brows etc
Kota School of Painting
- Painting tradition Bundi gave rise to the Rajasthani school, Kota
- It excelled in hunting scenes depiction
- Bundi and Kota shared the kingdom until 1625
- The Kota style of painting distinguished and became strikingly individual
- Artists enlarged their inventory with passion
- Kota artists rendered landscape as the real subject
- Kota obsessed with chase which became a social ritual including women
- Kota paintings were spontaneous emphasizing on marked shading
- Artists are known for rendering animals and combat
Bikaner School of Painting
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Rao Bika Rathore founded Bikaner in 1488
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Anup Singh instituted a library, Bikaner became a repository of manuscripts and paintings
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Bikaner developed distinctive language of painting influenced by Mughal elegance etc
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Karan Singh employed Ustad Ali Raza
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Ruknuddin: master artist whose style was an amalgamation of the indigenous idiom with Deccani and Mughal styles
- Painted the Ramayana, Rasikapriya and Durga Satpsati
- Ibrahim, Nathu, Sahibdin and Isa were other well-known painters
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Mandi was common (artist worked )
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Portraits unique, most inscribing information
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Ruknuddin painted exquisite works with soft tones, with works of Ibrahim with misty quality
Kishangarh School of Painting
- One of the stylist Rajasthani
- Exemplified by arched eyebrows, lotus petal shaped eyes, a sharp slender nose, etc
- 1609 Kishan Singh founded the state Kishangarh
- The artists had state style with a general tendency to elongate the human form etc.
- Krishna lila themes became personal favor
- Sawant Singhs most celeb and outstanding artist was Nihal Chand
Jodhpur School of Painting
- Mughals since the 16th century influenced aesthetics in portraiture etc
- Folkish style prevailed
- Ragamala set was painted in Pali, 1623
- Jaswant Singh ushered the period with documentary painting, depicting court life
- 1640 Started under patronage
- numerous Singhs survive
- paintings were understood by depicting Ramas Ajodhya
- Nath Sampradaya and paintings in the company of gurus survive
- Inscription is rare
Jaipur School of Painting
- Painting originated in capital Amer
- Rulers cordial with Mughal
- aesthetics at Amer influenced
- Bharmal married daughter to Akbar
- Sawai Singh capital city Jaipur
- court records, invite artists to settle
- reorganised Suratkhana
Raja Aniruddha Singh Hara
- Succeeded
- Remarkable paintings
- equestrian portrait, with speed, rendering foreground,
- painting in National Museum, New Delhi
Chaugan Players
- Princess playing polo or chaugan, Jodhpur painting of Mans Singh region
- stylistically influenced which gave suggestion of flat surfaces
- beautiful maidens on horse backs, playing
Bani Thani
- Singh composed devotional poetry,
- Sawant Singh muse for poetry
- exaggerating facial type became feature
Krishna Swinging and Radha in Sad Mood
- illustrating Rasikapriya
- 1683 by artist Nuruddin
- minimal representation
Rama Meets Members of his family at Chitrakut
- Ramayana, continiuos narrative,
- plain huts represent rural setting
Maru ragini
- important in Mewar, particularly
- inscription indicates
- Raga Shri desbes beauty
Bhagvata purana
- describing different scenes Krishnas leela,
- New Delhi collection nation museuem
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