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Rajasthani painting - A glorious tradition of Indian Arts

Rajasthani art holds the style of miniature painting which is developed in western India during the 16th–19th century. Mughal influence played an essential role in the evolution of Western Indian manuscript illustrations and flourished during the 18th century in the royal courts of Rajputana. Usually, Rajasthani paintings were kept in boxes or albums and viewed bypassing hand to hand. This technique is so similar to Mughal painting, though the materials are not as filtered and luxurious.

Unique Representation of Rajasthani Painting:

Rajasthani paintings represent bold lines, fine detailing, using fine brush strokes and bright colors which attracts the attention of every viewer. Rajasthani paintings became famous in the medieval period and had the support of kings of different regions of Rajasthan, which made them famous by the name of Rajputana Paintings as the land of Rajasthan was known as Rajputana. 

The paintings were fully made of natural colors extracted from minerals, plant body parts, valuable stones and shavings of gold and silver. The brush used for painting was made of hair from a squirrel’s tail or plant twigs.

Rajasthani paintings use silk, paper, wood and sometimes on marble and ivory for miniature paintings. Usually, these paintings depict the religious beliefs of the people, mainly because it portrays the insights of people at the time during the medieval period.

Gemstone Rajasthani paintings use watercolor to outline the drawings. The stones used for these paintings are Amethyst, Agate, Blood stone, Citrine, Crystal, Garnet, Jade etc. These paintings do not lose their glitter and precision even after many years. The main theme of Rajasthani Paintings of India includes the Great epics of Ramayana, Mahabharata, the life of Lord Krishna, landscapes and humans.

Schools of Rajasthani Paintings:

According to some experts, artisans from down south came and their descendants mixed their crafts with local traditions and techniques. The Indian art paintings of Rajasthan spread across different geographic and political regions of the state. The primary four schools are as follows,

Mewar: 

Mewar's are located in the South Central Region of Rajasthan around Udaipur. Mewar schools are considered as the oldest and their most important sub-schools includes Chavand, Nathdwara and Devgarh. These artworks also derive various poses and manifestations of the deity and this is how all the local mythology and culture shapes the art at Mewar.

Marwar: 

Marwar is considered as the largest region in Rajasthan, including the Thar Desert and the major centers of art from Jodhpur, Kishangarh, Bikaner to Jaisalmer. The Miniature paintings of this school are well-known for its tales of the royal history and war scenes.

Hadoti: 

Hadoti region is present in the South Eastern corner of Rajasthan, situated around the cities of Bundi, Kota and Jhalawar. The elements of this Mughal art are brilliantly fused with it.

Dhundar: 

The area situated around Jaipur is called Dhundar. It includes a vast area of Northern Rajasthan and still remembered for its “Havelis” with vibrant frescoes.

Conclusion

Since Rajasthani art symbolize vibrancy and gallantry, anyone who visits Rajasthan understands that this form of art portrays the rich and royal heritage of ancient Rajasthan

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