Chapter 12: World of Colours - Painting of Rajasthan
Painting of Rajasthan
Exam Relevance: RPSC / RSSB / REET / Board Exam
SECTION 2: Core Idea
Rajasthani painting developed through Jain manuscript traditions, local court and folk practices, and Mughal influences. Miniatures, murals and cloth paintings are different media. A common examination grouping uses four regions: Mewar, Marwar, Dhundhar and Hadoti. These are useful groupings rather than rigid boundaries. Ananda Coomaraswamy used the term Rajput painting in 1916; this is not the same as establishing today's four-region grouping.
| Group | Major Centres |
|---|---|
| Mewar | Udaipur, Chavand, Nathdwara, Deogarh; the regional Shahpura Phad tradition |
| Marwar | Jodhpur, Bikaner, Kishangarh, Jaisalmer, Nagaur, Ajmer |
| Dhundhar | Amer-Jaipur, Shekhawati, Alwar, Uniara |
| Hadoti | Bundi, Kota, Jhalawar |
SECTION 3: Districts and Art Centres
| District/Centre | Style | Major Artists | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Udaipur | Mewar | Sahibdin, Manohar | Illustrated Ramayana, Ragamala, devotional and court themes |
| Rajsamand: Nathdwara | Nathdwara | Ghasiram, Narayan, Chaturbhuj | Pichhwai backdrops for Shrinathji; festivals and seasons |
| Rajsamand: Deogarh | Mewar thikana style | Bagta, Chokha, Kanwla, Baijnath | Mewar, Marwar and Jaipur influences; Moti Mahal and Ajara ki Owari |
| Bhilwara: Shahpura | Phad folk-painting tradition | Joshi family, Shrilal Joshi | Narrative scrolls of Pabuji and Devnarayan |
| Jodhpur | Marwar | Shivdas, Amardas, Kishandas Bhati, Virji | Dhola-Maru, court life and Nath themes; Nath paintings are particularly important under Man Singh |
| Bikaner | Bikaner | Ali Raza, Ruknuddin, Ibrahim, Nathu | Mughal and Deccani contacts; inscriptions documenting artists and dates |
| Ajmer: Kishangarh | Kishangarh | Nihal Chand | Bani Thani, Radha-Krishna, distinctive eyes and panoramic landscapes |
| Jaisalmer | Jaisalmer | Local painters | Mumal; local romances and Jain manuscript repositories |
| Jaipur | Amer-Jaipur | Sahibram, Muhammad Shah | Portraits, court scenes and religious themes |
| Alwar | Alwar | Ghulam Ali, Baldev, Moolchand | Mughal, Persian and Jaipur contacts; Gulistan and ivory paintings |
| Bundi | Bundi | Tulchi Ram; Shaykh Hasan, Shaykh Ali and Shaykh Hatim in the early Chunar Ragamala | Nature, animals and birds, Ragamala, Barahmasa, Chitrashala |
| Kota | Kota | Dalu; court painters | Hunts, wildlife and landscapes; women also appear in hunting scenes |
SECTION 4: Origins, Themes and Identification
- Jaisalmer's Jain repositories are important for early illustrated palm-leaf traditions. Oghaniryukti and Dasavaikalika Tika are associated with 1060 CE; this manuscript tradition should be distinguished from later court schools.
- The Shravaka Pratikramana Sutra Churni (1260-61) is associated with Ahar and Teja Singh's period.
- The Chavand Ragamala of 1605 is associated with Nasiruddin, also rendered Nisaradin.
- Themes include Krishna's life, the Ramayana, Ragamala, Rasikapriya, Barahmasa, Nayika-Bheda, hunts, court life and folk romances.
- Colours, trees and facial types are clues rather than compulsory rules. Early Mewar often uses bright reds and yellows; Bundi and Kota depict rich natural settings. A single colour or tree cannot identify every painting.
- Clouds appear in several schools and are not an exclusive Bikaner feature.
SECTION 5: Patrons and Major Works
| Style | Patron/Period | Artist/Work |
|---|---|---|
| Mewar | Jagat Singh I, 1628-1652 | Sahibdin and Manohar; illustrated Ramayana and devotional themes |
| Chavand | Amar Singh I | Nasiruddin’s Ragamala, 1605 |
| Nathdwara | Raj Singh; installation of Shrinathji in 1672 | The Pichhwai tradition developed and expanded over time; installation is not a date for the whole school’s golden age |
| Jodhpur | Jaswant Singh I; later Man Singh | Bhati painters; romances, court life and Nath themes |
| Bikaner | Karan Singh; Anup Singh | Ali Raza under Karan Singh around 1650; Ruknuddin under Anup Singh |
| Kishangarh | Sawant Singh, reign 1748-1757 | Nihal Chand; Bani Thani and Radha-Krishna |
| Jaipur | Sawai Jai Singh II; Sawai Pratap Singh, 1778-1803 | Sahibram; portraits, devotional and court themes |
| Bundi | Chattar Sal, Bhao Singh, Ummed Singh and later rulers | Chitrashala/Ummed Mahal; murals also continued under later rulers |
| Kota | Jagat Singh, Ram Singh I, Guman Singh, Ummed Singh | Dalu’s Ragamala: dated folios of 1766 and 1768, during Guman Singh’s period |
SECTION 6: Institutions, Repositories and Museums
| Institution | Location | Importance |
|---|---|---|
| Rajasthan School of Arts | Jaipur | Founded by Sawai Ram Singh II. Its own history gives 1857; some other records give 1866 |
| Pothikhana | Jaipur | Royal manuscript and painting collection |
| Jain Bhandars | Jaisalmer | Old palm-leaf and paper manuscripts |
| Pustak Prakash | Jodhpur | Marwar manuscript and painting collections |
| Saraswati Bhandar / City Palace | Udaipur | Mewar paintings and manuscripts |
| Albert Hall | Jaipur | Miniatures and other art collections |
| Rao Madho Singh Museum | Garh Palace, Kota | Kota-school miniatures |
| Government Museum | Alwar | Illustrated manuscripts including Gulistan, paintings and ivory objects |
| National Museum | New Delhi | Rajasthani miniature collections |
SECTION 7: Timeline
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1060 | Early illustrated Jain tradition: Oghaniryukti/Dasavaikalika Tika |
| 1260-61 | Shravaka Pratikramana Sutra Churni associated with Ahar |
| 1605 | Chavand Ragamala, Nasiruddin |
| 1628-1652 | Mewar painting under Jagat Singh I |
| Around 1650 | Ali Raza under Karan Singh, Bikaner |
| 1672 | Installation of Shrinathji at Nathdwara |
| 1748-1757 | Sawant Singh’s reign; artistic patronage may extend beyond a reign |
| 1766 and 1768 | Dated folios of Dalu’s Kota Ragamala |
| 1778-1803 | Sawai Pratap Singh, Jaipur |
| 1857 / 1866 | School of Arts: own history 1857; other records 1866 |
| 1916 | Coomaraswamy’s use of the term Rajput painting |
| 5 May 1973 | 20-paise Radha-Kishangarh postage stamp |
SECTION 8: Practice Questions
Q1. Who is associated with the Kishangarh painting Bani Thani? Answer: Nihal Chand.
Q2. Who were major Mewar painters under Jagat Singh I? Answer: Sahibdin and Manohar.
Q3. Which themes are prominent in Bundi and Kota? Answer: Both depict nature and wildlife; Kota is especially known for hunts.
Q4. Which Bikaner ruler is associated with Ruknuddin? Answer: Anup Singh. Ali Raza is associated with Karan Singh.
Q5. Which is a major centre of Pichhwai painting? Answer: Nathdwara, Rajsamand.
SECTION 9: Quick Revision
| Pair | Recall |
|---|---|
| Mewar - Sahibdin | Jagat Singh I, illustrated Ramayana |
| Bikaner - Ruknuddin | Anup Singh; artist documentation |
| Kishangarh - Nihal Chand | Bani Thani; Sawant Singh/Nagari Das |
| Nathdwara - Pichhwai | Cloth backdrops behind Shrinathji |
| Bundi - Chitrashala | Ummed Mahal; nature and devotional themes |
| Kota - Hunts | Wildlife and landscape; Dalu’s Ragamala |
| Deogarh - Rajsamand | Bagta and Chokha; do not confuse it with Deogarh in Pratapgarh |
SECTION 10: Common Confusions and Modern Artists
- Regional groupings and individual court schools are different levels of classification. Phad is narrative folk painting and should be distinguished from court miniatures.
- Bikaner: Ali Raza-Karan Singh; Ruknuddin-Anup Singh. Do not confuse Rai Singh’s era with Anup Singh’s.
- Sawant Singh’s reign is generally dated 1748-1757; he retired to Vrindavan in 1757. Artistic patronage and a reign are different concepts.
- Clouds, hunts and trees occur in several schools. Avoid unsupported claims of exclusivity.
- Aala-Geela uses fresh wet lime plaster. Arayash is associated with lime-surface finishing; Morakashi is not a simple synonym.
- Shekhawati’s Chejaras were mason-painters; Chiteras is also used for painters.
- Modern artists: Ramgopal Vijayvargiya (Padma Shri 1984); Govardhan Lal Joshi, Baba (Bhil life); Parmanand Choyal (buffalo paintings); Jagmohan Mathodia (dog paintings); Kripal Singh Shekhawat (revival of Jaipur blue pottery, Padma Shri 1974).
- Map recall: Udaipur-Mewar; Rajsamand-Nathdwara/Deogarh; Bhilwara-Shahpura; Ajmer-Kishangarh; Jodhpur-Marwar; Bikaner-Bikaner; Bundi/Kota-Hadoti.