Overview and subject matter of Rajasthani School of Art

Question 1

One of the subject matters of Rajasthani paintings

Answer 1

Poems and Literary Works

Question 2

Gita Govinda

Answer 2

~Translated to ‘Song of the Cowherd’
~Composed in the 12th CE
~Jayadev, court poet of Lakshman Sen
~Lyrical poem in Sanskrit filled with Shringar Rasa(love) showing immense love between Krishna and Radha.

Question 3

Rasamanjari

Answer 3

~Translated to ‘Bouquet of Delight’
~Lyrical poem in Sanskrit by Bhanu Datta.
~It is a treatise on rasa and classifies nayikas and nayak according to their age, physiognomic traits and emotional states.

Question 4

How did they classify in Rasa based on age?

Answer 4

BAAL, TARUNA AND PRAUDHA

Question 5

According to physiognomic traits?

Answer 5

Padmini, Chitrini, Shankhini, Hastini etc

Question 6

According to emotional states?

Answer 6

Khandita, vasaksajja, abhisarika,utka etc

Question 7

Rasikapriya

Answer 7

~Translated as ‘The Connoisseur’s Delight’
~Composed by Keshav Das, court poet of Raja Madhukar Seth
~Consists of emotional expressions such as love, jealousy, quarrel, and its aftermath, togetherness, disappointment, separation, anger, which are common between lovers

Question 8

Kavipriya

Answer 8

~Poem written by Keshav Das in the honour of Rai Parbin who was a famous courtesan of Orchha.
~It is a tale of love and the 10th chapter deals with Baramasa, which is the most enduring climactic description of 12 months of the year.
~The poem illustrates daily life of people in different seasons and festivals that fall in these 12 months.

Question 9

Another theme from the 16th CE

Answer 9

Vaishnavism, one of the sects of Hinduism

Question 10

What is Vaishnavism?

Answer 10

Vaishnavism was a cult that became popular in the western, northern and central parts of India in the 16th CE. As an influence of this, Krishna was worshipped and idealized through the paintings.

Question 11

Bihari Satsai

Answer 11

~Written by Bihari Lal who worked at the court of Jai Singh.
~Painted at Mewar
~Consists of 700 verses
~In the form of aphorisms (sayings or proverbs) and moralising witticism (moral jokes).
~Composed in the year 1662

Question 12

RAGAMALA PAINTINGS

Answer 12

~It was a visual representation of various distinctive ragas and raginis.

~Each Raga is related to a specific mood, time of the day, or season

~Has 36 or 42 pages organized in the format of families.

~The six main ragas are Bhairav, Hindol, Megha, Deepak, and Shri.

Question 13

Some favorite texts that this school of painting was inspired by

Answer 13

Mahabharat, Ramyana, Bhagvata Purana, Devi Mahatmya

Question 15

What was the historical context of the Mewar School of Painting?

Answer 15

Mewar was one of the earliest centers of Rajasthani (Rajput) painting, evolving from a bold pre-17th-century style into a more refined style after contact with Mughal art. Many early examples were lost due to wars with the Mughals.

Question 16

What marks the earliest dated example of Mewar painting?

Answer 16

The emergence of the Mewar school is marked by a Ragamala series dated 1605, painted at Chawand by the artist Nisardin, featuring simple composition and vibrant colors.

Question 17

Under whose patronage did Mewar painting flourish, and what years did he rule?

Answer 17

Mewar painting flourished under Maharana Jagat Singh I, who ruled from 1628 to 1652.

Question 18

Who were the notable artists that revitalized Mewar painting under Jagat Singh I?

Answer 18

Sahibdin and Manohar were the virtuoso painters who revitalized the Mewar painting style.

Question 19

What notable series did Sahibdin produce?

Answer 19

Sahibdin produced celebrated series like the Ragamala (1628), Rasikapriya, Bhagavata Purana (1648), and the Yuddha Kanda (1652) of the Ramayana.

Question 20

What innovative technique did Sahibdin introduce in his Ramayana war scenes?

Answer 20

Sahibdin introduced a novel oblique aerial perspective to depict expansive battles convincingly.

Question 21

What is Manohar known for in the context of Mewar painting?

Answer 21

Manohar is known for illustrating the Balakanda of the Ramayana in 1649, adding detail and elegance to the Mewar style.

Question 22

Which unique contribution did Jagannath make to Mewar painting?

Answer 22

Jagannath illustrated the Bihari Satsai in 1719, a unique contribution of the Mewar school.

Question 23

What are the stylistic features of Mewar miniatures?

Answer 23

Mewar miniatures are characterized by a bold and bright color palette, particularly reds and yellows, and a straightforward composition with minimal ornamentation in early works.

Question 24

What themes were commonly depicted in 17th-century Mewar paintings?

Answer 24

17th-century Mewar paintings often depicted religious or literary themes, illustrating Hindu epics and poetic works.

Question 25

What shift occurred in the themes of Mewar paintings by the 18th century?

Answer 25

By the 18th century, the focus shifted to secular themes, including rulers' portraits, court assemblies, hunting scenes, festivals, sports, and zenana life.

Question 26

What is the Nathdwara tradition in Mewar painting?

Answer 26

The Nathdwara tradition, developed in the late 17th century, is famous for Pichhwai paintings used as temple backdrops for the deity Shrinathji.

Question 27

Fill in the blank: The Mewar aesthetic continued in a _______ context through Pichhwai paintings.

Answer 27

[religious]