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The Rajput
paintings flourished under the patronage of the Hindu Rajput rulers of Rajputana and
Punjab Himalayas during the period 1500 AD to the middle of the 19th century.
To a
 considerable extent the Rajput paintings were the contemporaries of the
Mughal paintings. Rajput painting was initially
known for its use of a limited range of color, shallow space, decorative brilliance and
mythic subject matter. Later, the Mughal influences were absorbed into Rajput art in
varying degrees, due to changes in the patronage, the movement of artists and political
factors.
The Rajput paintings can be put under two broad groups: the Rajasthani style and the
Pahari style. Rajasthani paintings are those works that have been executed in Rajputana, from
Bikaner to the border of Gujarat and from Jodhpur to Gwalior and
Ujjain. The themes of the
paintings were mostly religious and love subjects, based on Lord Rama and Lord Krishna.
Court scenes were depicted as also royal portraits. Bold outlines and brilliant colours
are characteristic of the Rajasthani paintings.
The romance of Padmavati, penned by the poet Malik Muhammad
Jaisi, provided
a common theme to the Rajput paintings. Under
Raj Singh (1652-1681 AD), illustrations of Mahabharata, Chand Bardai's Prihviraj
Raso, Bana Bhatta's Kadambari and the Panchatantra were painted. In
Mewar, the Geet Govinda and the Sundar
Sringara were executed in the first quarter of the 18th century. The Rajput
painting developed individual styles in
Bundi, Kota,
Jaipur,
Jodhpur and
Kishangarh. |
