Rajput Paintings

Paintings from the royal courts of Rajputana
Rajput painting, a style of Indian painting, evolved and flourished, during the 18th century, in the royal courts of Rajputana, India. Each Rajput kingdom evolved a distinct style, but with certain common features. Rajput paintings depict a number of themes, events of epics like the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, Krishna's life, beautiful landscapes, and humans. Miniatures were the preferred medium of Rajput painting, but several manuscripts also contain Rajput paintings, and paintings were even done on the walls of palaces, inner chambers of the forts, havelies, particularly, the havelis of Shekhawait.

Paintings from Rajput

The colours extracted from certain minerals, plant sources, conch shells, and were even derived by processing precious stones, gold and silver were used. The preparation of desired colours was a lengthy process, sometimes taking weeks. Brushes used were very fine.

Amber in Rajasthan was one of the first kingdoms to become the Vassal of Akbar but noticeably its painting style remained conventional like that of Malwa. However, the court portraitures were executed in markedly Mughal style. In 1728, Sawai Jai Singh shifted the capital from Amber to Jaipur.

He and his successors patronized many artists. The paintings clearly showed inheritance from the Mughal source but the bold compositions and use of abstractions were distinctly regional.

During the late 18th and early 19th centuries numerous works of art were produced that depicted episodes from the life of Krishna. The names of the artists that doted the royal courts are evident in the court records and inscriptions on paintings.

Ragamala and devotional subjects remained the popular themes of the paintings in the 19th century and found patronage outside Jaipur court too. .

Rajput Arts & Crafts

rajput Arts & Crafts
mango tree
holy cow with calf
mandala
news NRIOL 25years Celebration

NRIOL.COM, the premier online community since 1997 for the Indian immigrant community provides a range of resourceful services for immigrants and visitors in America.

Contact our customer service team

Estd. 1997 © Copyright NRI Online Pvt. Ltd. All rights reserved worldwide.

Famous Paintings x