Amber and Jaipur
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.
Krishna in the Company of
Gopis, Bundi, Rajasthan, circa A.D. 1700 based on
the
poetry of Keshavdas’s Rasikapriya
Painting traditions in Bikaner followed a close Mughal
tradition. Muslim artists settled here brought with
them the highly refined and delicate Mughal style. Deccani
paintings also had a marked influence on the Bikaner
paintings. During the late 18th century paintings in
Bikaner started showing conservative Rajput styles.
It embraced the flatness and abstractions of the Rajasthani
style. Though, Bikaner style was rich in documentation
it never acquired the ostentation of the later Jodhpur
portraits.
Hadauti Painting
The painting traditions in the region of Kota and Bundi
located in southeastern Rajasthan are collectively known
as Hadauti paintings.
Bundi
One of the earliest examples of the Bundi Paintings
is the Chunar Ragamala painted in 1561. The painting
showed marked influence of the Mughal style. The development
of the Bundi School in the early 17th century is unclear
but isolated examples of creative brilliance reveal
the ongoing development of Bundi style. Wall paintings
from the reign of Rao Ratan Singh (1607-31) are significant
examples of Bundi Style.
Under Rao Chattar Sal (1631-58) and Bhao Singh (1658-81)
Bundi paintings emphasized on court scenes. Themes from
the life of nobles, lovers, and ladies were extensively
used in the paintings. Bhagavata Purana illustrations
of 1640 are other notable works of art from this genre.
Though Bundi School had close association with the
Mughal style yet it was never fundamental to the evolution
and growth of Bundi paintings.
From the second half of the 17th century three significant
paintings; one, dated 1662, of a couple watching pigeons,
second, from 1682, of a couple in a pavilion, third,
dated 1689, of lovers viewing a crescent moon show the
artistic merit of this school. These paintings employed
bold, bright colors of Rajasthani style however the
delicacy of the Mughal style was also not abandoned.
Kota
A Mughal Decree in 1624-25 led to the carving of Kota
state from the kingdom of Bundi. Kota paintings were
spontaneous and calligraphic in execution and emphasized
on double lidded eye and marked shading. It is likely
that artists traveled freely from state to state and
hence the influence of each other styles is conspicuous
in the paintings.
During the reign of Jagat Singh (1658-84) portraitures
were produced that employed vibrant colors and bold
lines. Under the reign of Arjun Singh ( 1720-23), a
style emerged where a male was depicted with a long
hooked nose.
In the 18th century, Kota became popular for its superb
hunting scenes, Ragamalas, and portraits that often
bore high documentary value.
In the 19th century during the reign of Ram Singh II
(1827-66), the Kota paintings underwent revival. He
commissioned number of paintings depicting scenes of
worship, hunting, darbar and processions.
The Hadauti paintings are often regarded as one of
the highest quality of paintings in the Rajput style.
Page
1 | 2
|
