Miniature paintings are colourful handmade paintings that are relatively little in size, as the name indicates. One of the most prominent features of these paintings is the intricate brushwork, which contributes to their particular originality. Natural sources for the colours in the paintings include vegetables, indigo, precious stones, gold, and silver. While artists from all over the world use their paintings to depict many topics, the most common themes in Indian miniature paintings are Ragas, or musical note patterns, and religious and mythological narratives. Miniature paintings are little paintings done for books or albums. These are done on paper and cloth, among other things. Despite the fact that the Palas of Bengal are considered the ancestors of Indian miniature painting, the art form attained its apex during Mughal rule. Painters from numerous Rajasthani painting schools, including Kishangarh, Bundi Jaipur, Mewar, and Marwar, continued the tradition of miniature paintings.
History
Miniature paintings initially emerged in India about the year 750 A.D., when the Palas ruled the country's eastern region. These paintings became famous once the Buddha's religious teachings were recorded on palm leaves alongside his drawings. Because these paintings were made on palm leaves, they had to be tiny in order to fit within the area available. Around 960 A.D., the Chalukya Dynasty's monarchs brought similar paintings to western India. Miniature paintings featured religious themes often throughout this time period. Miniature paintings reached unparalleled heights with the rise of the Mughal Empire. Indian miniature paintings blended features of Persian style painting, giving rise to the Mughal style of painting, thanks to Akbar's enthusiasm for art. These little paintings advanced further with the influence of European art in the Mughal court. Rajasthan's Rajput monarchs continued to fund miniature paintings and artists even after the Mughal Empire crumbled. Rajasthan miniature paintings, however influenced by Mughal painting techniques, had its own distinct characteristics and often depicted the royal lifestyle and mythological narratives of Lord Krishna and Radha. The bulk of these miniature paintings depicted the lives and heroic exploits of kings and queens. Some of these paintings were also created to honour the accomplishments of specific rulers to their own peoples and kingdoms.
Schools of Miniature Art
Several schools of miniature painting evolved in India over several centuries, beginning with the Pala style. The social, religious, economic, and political climates that prevailed in different areas of India influenced the establishment of these institutions. Despite the fact that these miniature painting schools were influenced by one another, they each had its own distinct qualities. Some of the most well-known miniature painting schools are as follows:
Orissa School
The Orissa School of miniature painting started in the 17th century A.D. Despite the widespread usage of paper in India throughout the 17th century, the Orissa School of Miniature Paintings maintained its tradition of showing this delicate art form on palm leaves. Radha and Krishna's love tale, as well as stories from 'Krishna Leela' and 'Gita Govinda,' were shown in the bulk of the paintings. These vibrantly coloured paintings often depicted the magnificent vistas of India's eastern regions. The brushstrokes were broad and often emotional.
Pala School
The Pala School is linked with the earliest Indian miniature paintings, which date back to the 8th century A.D. The subjects were often borrowed from Buddhist tantric rites, and the painting style emphasised the symbolic use of colours. At Buddhist monasteries like as Nalanda, Somapura Mahavihara, Odantapuri, and Vikramasila, images of Buddha and other deities were often displayed on palm leaves. Thousands of students from all around the globe were captivated to these little pieces of art. As a consequence, the art form spread across Southeast Asia, and the Pala painting style became well-known in places like Sri Lanka, Nepal, Burma, and Tibet. Aside from the emphasis on symbolic colour, the Pala School is known for its deft and graceful use of lines, modelling forms with delicate and expressive pressure modulation, and the use of natural colours, among other things.
Jain School
When sacred literature such as the 'Kalpa Sutra' and 'Kalkacharya Katha' were shown in miniature paintings, the Jain School of Painting, one of India's earliest schools of miniature painting, came to prominence in the 11th century A.D. Initially, the Jain School, like other schools of miniature painting, displayed their work on palm leaves, but by the late 12th century, they were using paper. Natural colours like gold and silver were used to illustrate the stories. Magnified eyes, square-shaped hands, and depictions of exquisite people are just a few of the paintings' distinguishing features. Furthermore, the colours used were often vivid, with the most prevalent being green, red, gold, and blue. The Tirthankara's male figures and goddesses were often featured in the artwork. Furthermore, the deities depicted in the artwork were often extravagant. In the late 16th century, the popularity of these paintings began to fade.
Rajasthani School
In reaction to the decline of Mughal miniature paintings, the Rajasthani School formed. The Rajasthani School of Painting is divided into many schools depending on where it was formed. The Mewar School, Marwar School, Hadoti School, Dhundar School, Kangra School, and Kullu School of Art are all part of the Rajasthani School of Painting. Like the Mughal Emperors, the Rajput kings were enthusiastic about art and promoted miniature paintings.
Each Rajputana kingdom has its own distinct style with a few commonalities. Rajasthani miniature paintings often showed the history of current and previous rulers, as well as incidents from the Ramayana and kings and queens' royal lifestyles. They also highlighted social values and the advancements made by rulers for the betterment of society. The backgrounds of the Rajasthani school's paintings set them apart. The colours used in nature were typically bright and clashing. Natural colours were created using plants, minerals, shells, gold, silver, and precious stones. Only the most delicate brushes were used to prepare the colours, which may take weeks. Miniature painting, a difficult art form, is still practised in Rajasthan, with painters employing paper, ivory, and silk as their canvas. Natural colours, on the other hand, have been phased out and artificial colours have taken their place.
Mughal School
The Mughal School of miniature painting developed from the blending of Indian and Persian miniature art. Surprisingly, Persian miniature paintings were greatly influenced by Chinese art. The Mughal art style flourished from the 16th through the 18th centuries, particularly during Akbar's reign. These paintings often represented royal court settings, hunting expeditions, wild life, and battles. Plants and trees were shown realistically, and the paintings were encased in elaborate, richly ornamented frames. The Mughal Emperors regarded miniature painting so highly that several well-known artists were commissioned to produce innumerable works of art. Hindu painters were inspired by Mughal painting styles and produced miniatures depicting stories from the Ramayana and Mahabharata. The miniature painting techniques changed since the Mughal kingdom had so many kings. While Humayun and Jahangir preferred paintings of events in their life, portraiture became increasingly popular during Shah Jahan's reign. During Shah Jahan's reign, some of the most well-known miniature painters were Bichiter, Anup Chattar, Chaitaraman, Inayat, Mohammed Nadir of Samarquand, and Makr. Apart from portraits, other paintings from the period depict ascetics and mystics, as well as different adorned writings. Mughal miniature paintings started to decline during Aurangzeb's reign, when he is said to have been anti-art, especially miniature painting.
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