Indian Painting Traditions

Notes

Prehistoric: Bhimbetka (MP, UNESCO 2003). Paintings in red and white show hunting, dancing and animals.
Early historical:
- Ajanta (Buddhist, 2nd c. BCE to 5th c. CE):
  - Technique: tempera on dry plaster.
  - Themes: Jataka tales.
  - Famous works: Padmapani and Vajrapani (Cave 1), Dying Princess (Cave 16), Mahajanaka Jataka.
- Bagh Caves (MP).
- Sittanavasal (Tamil Nadu, Jain, Pandya).
- Ellora's Kailasa.
Medieval:
- Pala manuscript paintings on palm-leaf.
- Western Indian (Jain) manuscript style.
- Lepakshi (Vijayanagara).
- Mughal, Rajasthani, Pahari and Deccan schools.
Colonial:
- Company School (British patrons).
- Raja Ravi Varma (oil paintings).
- Kalighat patachitra.
Modern: the Bengal School (Abanindranath Tagore, Nandalal Bose), followed by Progressive Artists' Group (M.F. Husain, S.H. Raza), then Amrita Sher-Gil.

Key Points

Ajanta murals show the Gupta and Vakataka taste, with soft modelling and emotion.
The Bengal School was a nationalist revival, inspired by Mughal and Ajanta styles and by E.B. Havell.
Indian paintings follow the principles of Shadanga (six limbs of painting).

MCQs

1. Bhimbetka rock paintings are located in:

(a) Karnataka
(b) Madhya Pradesh
(c) Odisha
(d) Bihar

Answers: 1-b

2. The Padmapani figure is found at:

(a) Ellora
(b) Ajanta
(c) Bagh
(d) Sittanavasal

Answers: 2-b

3. Who founded the Bengal School of Art?

(a) Nandalal Bose
(b) Abanindranath Tagore
(c) Raja Ravi Varma
(d) Jamini Roy

Answers: 3-b