Painting styles of Rajasthan :

Paintings are nowhere more vivacious and communicative than those of the Rajasthan state. Folklore of work of art goes back to the crack of dawn of evolution. Traces of terrain color drawings on fortifications and obscure ornamentations of geometrical and likely designs on clay liners and potteries have been uncovered in the momentous Harappan spots of Peelibanga and Kalibangan in the north – western parts of Rajasthan. The beliefs of embellishing abodes are still active. Rajasthan is recognized for its minuscule paintings, shimmering an implausible assortment of scenes from mythology and folklores to times gone by to nature.

Miniature paintings :  Even though miniature painting is most often allied with the Mughal art, it dates back several years in India where dissimilar styles were formed. The most primitive examples of the miniature painting in India subsist in the type of graphics to the spiritual texts on Buddhism carried out underneath the Palas of East India and Jain texts carried out in West India during the Eleventh and Twelth centuries A.D.

Gemstone paintings : The vivid colors add the charm to diverse Rajasthani paintings by the embellished gemstone grinded delicately. Different valuable and partially precious stones are used for diverse colors in stone paintings. Rajasthanis have devised their sole methods of painting using the resources effortlessly accessible in Rajasthan state. Gemstone work arts are 200 year old art work carried out in Rajasthan state which accentuates the tradition of colors resultant from usual stones to generate vibrant and multicolored designs. This form of art uses the valuable stones and their radiating tones as a normal palette.

Phad paintings : The Phad paintings portray occasions in the lives of Devnarayan and Pabuj of Rajasthan state. Customarily, they are used to convoy a rite in which the heroes' performances are sung or narrated by pastors. The Phad paintings represent the momentous folklore and clash scenes at the same time as pulverized gemstones detain a regal prospect for perpetuity; the wall paintings commemorate a familial juncture whilst the miniatures are the collector’s beloved.

Kajali paintings : The anthology of extraordinary Art form of Rajasthan, which is finished by a handful populace in certain areas of Rajasthan. Each painting, completed from stone colors and Black kajal, requires all-embracing hard slog and connoisseur hands.

Kishangarh paintings : The principal styles developed in the period of 17th and 18th century was in Marwar, Mewar, Kishangarh, Hadoti and Ambal. The artists of Kishangarh under the benefaction of their monarchs Sawant Singh and Raja Mansinghin seventeenth century tinted the idealistic miniatures based on Radha and Krishna stories. Kishangarh Miniature Paintings attained reputation in the eighteenth century, at a point of time when the miniature paintings were trailing ground somewhere else in Rajasthan. Its sovereign Raja Sawant Singh, under the influence of Vaishnava and Krishna sect, was an aficionado of music, poetry and art. He wrote down under the pseudonym of Nagaridas.

Bani thani paintings : The school of Kishangarh outshines in Bani Thani paintings. The inventiveness of approach can be accredited to its regal benefactor, Raja Sawant Singh, also recognized as Nagari Das, who was the instigator of Bani Thani paintings.


Schools of paintings in Rajasthan :

 In the preceding decades of sixteenth Century, the Rajput schools of art began to expand characteristic styles joining aboriginal as well as distant authorities into exclusive styles. Rajasthani painting comprises of 4 major schools that have numerous imaginative styles within them that can be outlined to the different princely states that utilized these artists.

The major Painting schools of Rajasthan are:

Mewar school of painting :

Styles of Painting in Mewar School : The Mewar school comprises of Nathdwara, Chavand, Udaipur, Sawar and Devgarh styles of painting

Mewar School of painting is one of the most significant schools of Indian painting of seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. It was developed in Hindu principality of Mewar. The works of the Mewar School are distinguished by simple vivid colour and straight poignant appeal. The relatively hefty number of paintings to which places of derivation can be attributed make probable a more inclusive picture of the expansion of painting in Mewar than any other Rajasthani painting school. The primitive examples derive from Ragamala, a musical mode series highlighted in the year 1605 at Chawand. This communicative and energetic approach continued with some discrepancies through 1680, after which Mughal sway became more noticeable. One of the dazzling painters of the untimely phase was that of the artist Sahibdin.

Marwar school of painting :

Styles of Painting in Marwar School: The Marwar School comprises of Kishangarh, Bikaner, Jodhpur, Pali, Nagaur and Ghanerao styles.

Marwar developed a suave and dissimilar School of Paintings. The Marwar School imitated the Mughal sway and nobles on durbar and horses scenes were well-known in Mewar School of paintings. Amid 1760 and 1780, the Mughal control departed and theRajput elements became famous in Jodhpur, which are exemplified by linear pace and shimmering colors. In Marwar festivals, paintings, elephant fights, hunting expeditions and ceremonies are normally depicted. The themes also incorporate scenes collected from the life of Lord Krishna. Other admired themes were ‘Gita Govinda’ and ‘Raagmala’.

Hadoti School of painting :

Styles of Painting in Hadoti School : The Hadoti school comprises of Kota, Bundi and Jhalawar styles

The Hadoti School of paintings commenced under Rao Chattar Shal. He was made the Governor of Delhi by the ruler, Shah Jahan. The authority of rulers of Chauhan Empirewere restricted to the regions of Kota, Jhalawar and Bundi. Hence this region has been named the Hadoti region. The Hadoti region was a treasury of art. The Hadoti paintings are looked upon as one of the uppermost superiority of paintings in Rajput style.

Dhundar school of painting :

Styles of painting in Dhundar school : The Dhundar school comprises of Amber, Jaipur, Shekhawati and Uniara styles of painting.

The Dhundar school of paintings was greatly admired for its elite folk paintings. The painting style was formed by Hada Rajput rulers in Kota and Bundi regions. The paintings are outstanding creations and characteristically portraying gorgeous women with large eyes, round faces, pointed nose and long neck. The lingering activities of the previous rulers are portrayed in these paintings.

Other styles of Painting :

Bundi Paintings :  The Bundi style of painting is very close to the Mewar style, but the former excels the latter in quality. Painting in Bundi started as early as around 1625 A.D. A painting showing Bhairavi Ragini, in the Allahabad Museum is one of the earliest examples of Bundi painting. Some examples are illustrated books of the Bhagatwata. Purana in the Kotah Museum and a series of the Rasikapriya in the National Museum, New Delhi. )"The Bundi School" is an important school of the Rajasthani style of Indian miniature painting that lasted from the 17th century till the end of the 19th century. In this generous state. Ragamala series of paintings (1561), represent various Indian musical Ragas.

Bikaner Paintings :  Bikaner was one of the States which has close relations with the Mughals. Some of the Mughal artists during the later half of the 17th century were given support by the Bikaner court and were accountable for the introduction of a new style of painting having much similarity with the Mughal and the Deccani styles. One important artist Ali Raza "the Ustad (master) of Delhi", was employed by Raja Karan Singh of Bikaner in about 1650 A.D. Some other noteworthy artists who worked at the Bikaner court were Ruknuddin and his son Shahadin.

Amber- Paintings of Jaipur : The State of Amber has very close relations with the Mughal Emperors. It is usually believed that a school of painting initiated at Amber, the old capital of the Amber State, in early 17th century. Later on in the 18th century, the centre of artistic activity shifted to Jaipur, the new capital. There is a fairly large number of paintings of the Jaipur rulers and miniatures on other subjects which can definitely be assigned to the Jaipur School.

                                        Rajasthan Paintings were founded at Udaipur in 1996.Rajasthan Paintings are placed in Udaipur - The City of Lakes. The traditional Indian painting started failing after the first half of the 18th century and by the end of the century it lost most of its strength and attraction. However, in the Pahari region the art of painting uphold its quality till the end of the first quarter of the 19th century. The traditional styles of Indian painting finally died out in the second half of the 19th century under the conflict of the Western colours and method of painting.