The styles and varieties in paintings from India are as diverse as the country itself. Painting as an art form has flourished in India from pre-historic times as evident from the

rock paintings - some of them are older than 5500 BC. Indian Paintings can be broadly classified as the murals & miniatures. Murals are large works executed on the walls of solid structures like caves, temples and walls of palaces. Classic examples are the paintings in

Ajantha & Kailasantaha temple while miniature paintings are those executed on a very small

scale on perishable material such as paper and cloth etc.

Miniature Painting

The style of miniature painting is believed to be developed in western India during the 16th

to 18th century. Most of the miniature paintings were part of manuscripts written at that

time to illustrate and explain the subjects of the manuscripts. Prime examples are the

Rajasthani & Mughal miniatures. Prime examples are some Jain manusripts, Rajasthani & Mughal

miniatures. Though this style had been perfected by artisans under the various rules, not

many remain today.

Madhubani Painting

The origins of Madhubani painting are shrouded in antiquity and interesting to know that

many believe that this style of painting originated at the time of the Ramayana, when King Janak commissioned artists to do paintings at the time of marriage of his daughter, Sita,

with Sri Rama who is considered to be an incarnation of the Hindu God Lord Vishnu. Madhubani painting is a style of uttradi mutt painting, mostly practiced in the Mithila region of Bihar, India.

Rajasthani Painting

Originated in Rajasthan state of India, Rajasthani Painting flourished during the 18th

century in the royal courts of Rajputana, India. Each Rajput kingdom evolved a distinct style, but the basic feel remained the same. Several events of epics like the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, Krishna’s life, beautiful landscapes, and humans attracted the painters of

this style as these became themes of their paintings. It is said that the preparation of

desired colours was a lengthy process, sometimes taking weeks. The colours were extracted

from minerals, plants, conch shells, and were even derived by processing precious stones, gold and silver.

Mughal Painting

Mughal paintings were a unique blend of Indian, Persian and Islamic styles. In order to keep

visual record of major events during their rule, Mughal Emprerors used to take artists along on military or hunting expeditions, who would depict their royal deeds in form of art.

Mysore Painting

Mysore painting, an important form of classical South Indian painting, originated in the town of Mysore in Karnataka. Known for their elegance, muted colours, and attention to detail, the themes for most of these paintings are Hindu Gods and Goddesses and scenes from Hindu mythology. In modern times, these paintings are exchanged as souvenir during festive occasions in South India.

Tanjore Painting

Native to the town of Tanjore in Tamil Nadu, India, Tanjore painting is an important form of

classical South Indian painting. The art form dates back to the early 9th century, a period

dominated by the Chola rulers, who encouraged art and literature. The themes of these

paintings are mostly Hindu gods and goddesses, and saints as well. Episodes from Hindu tradition and mythology are drawn upon as elaboration to the chief figure(s) placed in the

central section of the picture. After the painting is completed, decoration of the jewellery and the apparels in the image is done with semi-precious stones, laces or threads. On top of this, the gold foils are pasted. As a final touch, dyes are used to add colors to the

figures in the paintings.

The Bengal School of Art

The Bengal School of Art was an influential style of art that flourished in India during the

British Raj in the early 20th century. Though associated with Indian nationalism, the style

was also promoted and supported by many British art administrators. The Bengal school arose

as an avant garde and nationalist movement reacting against the academic art styles previously promoted in India, both by Indian artists such as Ravi Varma and in British art

schools.

Modern Indian Painting

During the colonial era, some artists in India developed a style that used Western ideas of

composition, perspective and realism to illustrate Indian themes while others like Jamini Roy, consciously drew inspiration from folk art. By the time of Independence in 1947, many schools of art in India started providing access to modern techniques and ideas. Art

Galleries were established to showcase the work of these artists. Modern Indian art typically shows the influence of Western styles, but is often inspired by Indian themes and images.