Murals
The Ajanta Caves was the work of Buddhist monks, who
came to the Western Ghats in the 4th century AD. It was the Golden
Age of India under Mauryan Empire. The age was marked by opulence
and splendour. It was during these prosperous times that the
sculptor-monks took on a novel exercise of painting large tempera murals
on the walls of the caves. The walls and ceilings were in the form
of frescoes in vibrant mineral colours. The quality of these
paintings have remained unique and unsurpassed.
The theme of these paintings
ranged widely. Some wall paintings depicted exciting tales from
Buddhism, while others portrayed important human values and
principles. Some of them showed animals and flowers. The most
appealing attribute of this art is the versatility of line and form and
the use of colours and compositions. The murals also
formed the basis of an entire artistic tradition which later spread to
other countries
Miniatures
Symbolism
was at the heart of the Indian miniaturists' visual expressions, beyond
just the primary function of lines and pigments, which is what caught
their interest. These paintings expressed their relationship with
nature in the form of symbols. The beauty of expression of these ideas
inspire wonder, enchantment and pleasure. "The master painter
disposes", Buddha once remarked while alluding to the art of
metaphysical teaching, "his colours for the sake of a picture that
cannot be seen in the colours themselves."
The subjects of these paintings
varied from tales to myths. These ideas were expressed as an
artistic expression. The expression revealed aspects of the
existing human as well as supernatural divine subjects. The
painters enjoyed unfolding the dimensions of the paintings as they
perceived them. The basic shift in emphasis was from the multiplicity of
experiences of the 5 senses to unifying ideas, from the mutual aspect
towards situations that always exist.
The 'Miniature' paintings are
small in size and scrupulous in detail and fine brushwork. The
paintings are like seeing chamber music. According to the
medieval Indian norms 'patra lekhana' was the name for the art of
palm-leaf illuminations. Pata chitra was the name given to the
paintings other than the wall paintings.
Miniatures are an effective way of
expression. The ragas of the classical Indian Music have been a
great inspiration for the concepts behind miniatures. They provide
the basis of Indian music and art forms. Painters of miniatures have
discovered an unbound way of self-expression in
minatures.
Narada Shiksha was an art that
made music the subject of the art, through colour and mood. Though
it was born in the 5th century it did not gain recognition for another
100 years.
The pictures represent the charm
of an era gone past. The architectural beauty, the features of
women, the grandeur and splendour of those times and the pastoral
scenes, are all depicted in these paintings. The thematic stance
gives it a great level of uniformity. The gossamer-veiled women
with pinched noses and doe-eyes and graceful stances cannot go unnoticed
and unappreciated. Indian paintings have been greatly influenced by its
different schools of learning. This is because of the difference in
the schools of learning. Each school has its uniqueness. For
example Udaipur and Jaipur show their deserts and landscapes in the
paintings. Kumaon and Kangra are recognised for their fine
drawings. Malwa and Bundelkhand have specialised in brush
work. The crowning glory of the miniature series in provincial
Mughal works is attributed to the reign of emperors Akbar and Jehangir.
The mythical sources of music are depicted in the Tanjore
Paintings of the South.
Folk Painting
'Folk' paintings are the traditional forms of Indian
Paintings which were not as famous as the other paintings in
India. These paintings date back to an era referred to as
'timeless'. These paintings generally are inherently linked with
the cultural settings which they come from as well as the regional
history.
Contemporary Art
With the advent of the British, Indian art for a
while, lost its originality. A painting known as Company style a
genus of Indo-European paintings appeared. However this lasted for
a short while and soon with political consciousness, Indian art stepped
back in.
The art during the rule of the
British was influenced by the new emerging social
consciousness. The famous personalities in Indian art during the
20th century were Amrita Shergil who was a woman trained in Paris and
Rabindranath Tagore. It was when India was fighting for its Independence
when the attitudes and the traditional mindsets of the people had to be
reformed.
Francis Newton Souza was the
founder of a new school of art in Bombay as Independence set
in. The school was called the progressive artist groups. The
renowned artists of this group were Francis Newton Souza and Maqbool
Fida Husain. Paintings ranged from bold to the furious, soft to the
magical. The contemporary art scene in India has acquired its
own stature. The art of today shows the respect for traditional
values of India as well as the capability to surpass it. The paintings
show a closeness to humanity and contain an excellent usage of ideas and
colours. Gulam Muhammed Sheikh, Bhupen Khakkar and Sundaram are
some of the names in India's contemporary art
scene.
