Indian paintings traditions go back to antiquity, as is evident from the murals of Ajanta, Ellora and other frescoes, the Buddhist palm leaf manuscripts, the Jain texts and the Deccan, Mughal and Kangra schools of miniature Indian painting. Indian Painting is an old tradition, with ancient texts outlining theories of Colour and anecdotal accounts suggesting that it was common for households to paint their doorways or indoor rooms where guests resided. Cave paintings from Ajanta, Bagh and Sittanvasal and temple paintings testify to a love of naturalism. Indian paintings provide an aesthetic continuum that extends from the early civilization to the presentday. This form of art in India is vivid and lively, refined and sophisticated and bold and vigorous at the same time. From being essentially religious in purpose in the beginning. Indian paintings have evolved over the years to become a fusion of various traditions which influenced them. At first glance, an Indian miniature painting, to the uninitiated, appears nothing more than a clutter and tangle of pastoral settings, dominated by masculine and feminine figures. Yet these scenes are not detached visions of artistic expression but provide the basis of Indian music and art forms. Most of these masterly works are visual creations of emotional and perceptive concepts that depict the ragas or musical modes of Indian classical music. Miniature painters employed at various medival courts, discovered the potential of limitless self-expression in their depiction, and today there are 130 known sets of such miniatures. The Indian paintings have now acquired a stature of their own. They use materials and techniques from all over the world but express Indian realities and Indian experiences. The respect for tradition and the ability to transcend it at the same time is clearly evident in Indian art of today. This is the essence of what has been described as the eclecticism of the Indian contemporary expression. Starting with the Bengal school, many contemporary painters have been influenced by modern styles.
Indian Painting: Prelude: The earliest Indian paintings were the rock paintings of pre-historic times, the petroglyphs as found in places like Bhimbetka, and some of them are older than 5500 BC. Such works continued and after several millennia, in the 7th century, carved pillars of Ellora, Maharashtra state present a fine example of Indian paintings, and the Colours, mostly various shades of red and orange, were derived from minerals. Thereafter, frescoes of Ajanta and Ellora caves appeared. India's Buddhist literature is replete with examples of texts which describe that palaces of kings and aristocratic class were embellished with paintings, but they have largely not survived. But, it is believed that some form of art painting was practised during that time. India has one of the greatest traditions of painting of the ancient world. A high degree of technical excellence was achieved even in very early times, and the art, born out of the deep philosophy of the land, was graceful and sublime. The earliest surviving paintings in the Indian subcontinent are those of Ajanta. The paintings here were made in two phases. The oldest date to around the 2nd century BC. The marvellous latter phase was around the 5th century AD, under the patronage of the Vakatakas who ruled the Deccan. The subjects are scenes from the life of the Buddha and the Jatakas, stories of his previous births. These paintings bring to us great beauty of form, with extremely fine rendering which imparts a sense of volume and roundedness. Yet, amidst the tender and elegant beauty of the world, these paintings constantly take us to that which is within. The great Bodhisattvas (seekers of truth) who are painted upon the walls of Ajanta, always look within. It is this life of the spirit which pervades the entire world of these paintings. Ajanta is known to be the fountainhead and inspiration of Buddhist paintings across the whole of Asia. The sophisticated ancient tradition of painting, which was inherited by the artists of Ajanta, was documented as the Chitrasutra of the Vishnudharmottara Purana. This was a verbal tradition, which would have come over many centuries, passed on through guilds of painters. It was penned on paper by perhaps the 5th or 6th century AD. This ancient treatise places a sophisticated grammar in the hands of the painter. However, he is informed that rules do not make the painting. It has to be given a life of its own by the painter. Contrary to what is generally known, there are several remnants of ancient paintings found in all corners of the subcontinent, belonging to practically every century of the last 1,500 years and more. These display the fact of a great and unified tradition of painting in ancient India.
Indian Paintings have a very long tradition and history in Indian Art. Because of the climatic conditions, very few early examples survive. In all historic times (Ancient, Medieval, and Modern) paintings play a significant role. Indian paintings can be classified as Murals, Miniatures, and Paintings on cloth. The evolution of the prehistoric period consists of Paleolithic, Mesolithic and chalcolithic. Paintings in Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) are deeply rooted in spiritual, mythological, and natural themes, evolving from prehistoric Bhimbetka rock art to sophisticated murals (Ajanta, Ellora) and miniature traditions (Mughal, Kangra). They reflect advanced knowledge of pigments and techniques, often adhering to ancient texts. Served as visual representations of narratives, such as the Ramayana and Mahabharata, and as tools for recording history. The longevity of these traditions is attributed to the deep understanding of color and materials possessed by ancient artisans. This book narrates in a comprehensive style, the story of Indian paintings through the ages, enumerating the salient features of the various schools. This is a book of enduring value that will both educate and delight the reader.
Dr. Rajesh Kumar Singh has taken degree of B.A and M.A. from Allahabad University Prayagraj U.P and also completed PhD from Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Avadh University, Ayodhya. He has participated in a number of national and international seminars, conferences and workshops where he presented his research papers. As a writer, his many papers have already published in various journals and proceedings. Currently he is working as Associate Professor in the Department of History Culture and Archaeology Dr Ram Manohar Lohiya Avadh University, Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh.
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