Painting (049)

Session 2017-18
- Raj Shastri Sir.
Que1. Why do you like or dislike the painting of Mughal or Deccan School of
Mainature Painting included in your course of study? Justify your answer with
suitable examples.
Ans.1
I like the Mughal school of miniature paintings because of the workplace of the Mughal
School was confined to royal court only. The main aim of the artists was to please the
emperor and to get money and high status from him. Thus these paintings are historical,
religious, portraiture, royal splendour, nature, hunting scene, luxury, night scene etc.
Profile face is the main features of the Mughal School. It is adopted from Rajasthani
School. Specially designed painted ornamental boarders around the paintings reflect the
effect of Persian style on Mughal School. In this style of paintings calligraphy is must
shown with painting. Mughal School paintings show their disciplined luxurious life and
love of the Mughals for physical and worldly life. Lively depiction of animals and birds
has added an extra jewel in Mughal School. Hunting scenes of Mughal School are full of
nice depiction of elephant, horses, lions, deers, tigers and goats. Mostly manuscripts were
painted during Akbar’s reign. It is also a tradition on Mughal School to write the theme of
the painting on a special strip in beautiful calligraphy by expert calligraphers. The artists
had written their names also. The brightness of the colours used in Mughal school look like
enamel. The use of gold and silver from crown to foot wears shows the royal luxury of
Mughals. Abundance of portraiture works of Mughal Emperors; Hindu saints like Tulsi,
Meera, Surdas, Muslim saints Shekh Salim Chishti, Sant Kabir, Sheikhpool have added
another feather in the beauty of this school. Trees, plants, rivers, mountains etc. have been
painted with great accuracy. The decoration of garments and ornaments done in Mughal
School is also marvelous. The carpets on the floor are full of beautiful designs.
OR
I like the Deccan school of miniature paintings because of the Deccan School miniatures
are highly decorative. Elongated human beings, repetitive motifs, sensitive use of colours,
symmetrical architectures, realistic trees, shrubs, animals, birds make Deccani miniature
look special. Colours used in them are rich and bright but style of application is different
from that of Northern region. Lavishly used gold colour adds extra charm in these painting.
Deccani School miniature paintings share the features of North Indian paintings e.g.
Rajasthani, Mughal and also the paintings of West but kept alive its different original style.
In Deccani style the background is painted much wider than foreground and the sky. Sky
and foreground are generally of the same size or has slight difference in the size. Fine
calligraphy, high horizon, Prussian blue sky, golden background and pink mountains
mirror the Persian influence.Highly realistic trees, flowering shrubs, animals, birds etc.
mark the Mughal influence. Naturalism and three dimensional effects in Deccani
miniatures are regarded as European influence. Profile faces and transparent veils are
painted in Rajasthani style. Highly decorative costumes, jewelaries, hair style, etc. are
painted to represent the life and customs of great Vijaynagar Empire. The puppet like feet
pointing in the same direction is taken from local folk art.

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Que2. How did the painters and sculpture contribute to the Naational Freedom
movement? Describe in detail with suitable examples.
Ans. 2
Aim of the Bengal School was to regenerate the patriotism, to rediscover India’s past and
to recollect Indian cultural values in the field of art by boycotting foreign trends and means.
It was national emotion that made Bengal School nationalistic. Along with the artists this
school also inspired scholars, poets, reformers, thinkers, philosophers and musicians etc.
to join the mainstream of the struggle for national freedom movement.

In this movement, Nandlal Bose copied the paintings of Ajanta and painted his famous line
drawing ‘Dandi March of Mahatma Gandhi’. He also painted about 60 paintings on
handmade paper for Haripura Congress on the request of Mahatma Gandhi. These paintings
were a feast of Indian art and beautification. These paintings were also notable for their
economy of means, boldness, vigour and decorative qualities. Through these paintings,
Nandlal Bose combined art with nationalism and became the interpreter of Indian colour
and its soul. Abanindranath painted Mother India. Gaganendranath painted a caricature on
the massacre of Jalianwala Bagh which brought hatred among Indians against naked
cruelty of British. The personal style developed by noted artist namely Abanindranath
Tagore, Nandlal Bose, K. Venkatapa, Gaganendranath Thakur, Shailendra Nath Dey, Asit
Kumar Halder and Devi Prasad Roy Chowdhury etc. saved us from the slavery of
expressions and ideas which finally put the foundation of modern trends in the field of art.

Que3. Which human life value and emotions shown in any of the following art works
of the contemporary (modern) Indian art? Explain in short.
a. Mother and child (a painting)
or
b. Children (a graphic print)
or
c. Cries un heard ( a sculpture)

Ans. 3
Mother and Child: This water colour tempera of ‘Mother and Child’ is done by the
famous artist of Bengal Jamini Roy in 1930. High values of human life incorporated in this
painting a standing mother is holding her naked child with left hand on her left waist. Both
of the have fish shaped open eyes and bold eyebrows. The shape of their faces looks like a
cup and have cool and calm expressions of love. They are decorated perfectly with white
colour. Mother’s right hand palm is red. She is wearing brown saree of green border
decorated with black lines. On the left lower part of this vertical work a flowering stem of
the plant is shown. The clarity and final decoration done in bold lines are very sharp which
makes whole composition very rhythmic and attractive. Perfect use of vermillion, yellow
ochre, brown, green, blue, black and white colours are giving extra look to this folk type
painting. This work resembles with Kalighat Pat works.
OR
Children: This black and white composition of etching with aquatint done by famous
Printmaker artist Somnath Hore in 1958. Basically theme of this work reflects the injustice
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to innocent and poor people of our society. This is a close-knit isolated composition of five
standing members of a Poor family. Two boys are standing closely with their mother. They
are looking helplessly towards a girl standing in their right side. This girl might be their
sister whose back portion is visible. One front looking child is shown at the top of the
painting. The only visible parts of his body are his face and hand. All members are shown
in thorn clothing. A thread is shown in the neck of front standing boy. Their bloated
stomach, large head, small faces, protruding eyes, ribs of thorax and cheek bones are
speaking about their inner restlessness and gashing wounds. The mother has put her
protective hand on their shoulders sympathetically. This is very much defined
geometrically composition represents the most vulnerable section of humanity. High
values of human life incorporated in totality the whole aspect of the print mirrors the
sufferings of poor. Now it is a collection of National gallery of modern art, New Delhi.
OR
Cries Un-heard: In 1958 the sculpture ‘Cries Un-heard’ has been awarded ‘Gold Plaque’
(President’s Award) by Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi. This is a large size bronze statue
done by well known sculptor Amarnath Sehgal in 1958. This is a symbolic work in which
three nude figures of a family are standing in deep anguish mood. They have glooming
faces full of agony and distress. All the three elongated figures of a man, woman and child
has raised their hands towards the sky in the helpless position. The right hand of child is
up while his left hand is shown in down posture. Man and child are looking up but woman
is looking down. They all are asking for the help from Almighty God. The theme of this
sculpture shows the injustice done by rich and powerful people, who have been exploiting
the weaker section of the society. Now it is a collection of National gallery of modern art,
New Delhi.

Que4. Evaluate the aesthetic- grandeur of any of the following miniature painting
duly based on the aesthetic parameters:
a. Radha (bani-thani) (Rajasthani School)
or
b. Krishna with Gopis (Pahari school)

Ans. 4
Radha (Bani-Thani): This is a world famous painting of Kishangarh School in tempera
medium, painted by Nihalchand in 18th century A.D. The Indian Government was issued a
Postal Stamp on this painting. As a master painter Nihalchand could go beyond the
mundane to the spiritual in this portrait ‘Bani-Thani’. Her peach colour profile face is
elongated with slopping forehead; long wag tailed eyes slightly tinged with lotus pink hue,
arch like eyebrows, sharp pointed and straight nose, and thin red lips, pronounced chin,
long black curly hair flows down to her shoulders and her waist, decorative curl of hair
spiraling down to the cheek in front of the ear. She is holding the edge of the transparent
odhani by her right hand and two lotus buds of pink white colour by left hand, palm slightly
tinged with red colour. She is wearing mostly white beads garland around her neck. Odhani
is decorated with golden motifs. Her dress and jewellery reflect the taste of the
contemporary Rajput style. Her smile is supposedly enigmatic as like Monalisha. The
background is painted in deep blue colour. On the whole this painting has a special place
in the treasure of Indian miniature. Now it is a collection of National Museum, New Delhi.
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 OR
Krishna with Gopis: This is one of the most charming tempera paintings of Basohli
School painted on ‘Geet-Govind’ series. In this painting eight Gopis are wearing luxurious
costumes and to pay divine honours to the Lord Krishna. The colour complexion of Krishna
is blue. He is wearing bright yellow colour dhoti and the upper portion of body is decorated
by ornaments only. A jewel decorated crown with peacock feather on his head. All the
figures are in profile face, sloping head, eyes like lotus petals and sharp nose. In this
miniature Lord Krishna embracing two Gopis, third is touching his feet, fourth is in down
poster to bend knee and to adorn Krishna, fifth is stooping, sixth is holding a fan like
structure, seventh is looking to back and eight is holding a white coloured chauri. Facial
expressions of whole group are shown divine and rhythmic. In the background artist shows
vibrant forest of Vrindawan, there are so many different type of trees in same height and
in the foreground river Yamuna is flowing. The artist of this painting is unknown and it is
a collection of National Museum, New Delhi.

Que5. Identify any relevant painting in your course of study comprising of the
following features and explain them in that paintings.
a. The Mughal School of miniature painting was secular, in which Hindu Gods-
Goddesses and Saints were also depicted.
OR
b. The tall and slender female figures were rendered with fine and rhythmic lines
in the Deccan School of Miniature painting.

Ans. 5
Krishna lifting mount Goverdhan: It is an early tempera painting of Akbar’s time painted
by Miskin on the paper in 16th century A.D. In this composition Lord Krishna is painted in
standing position in dark blue colour. His figure is shown larger than another figure. He is
lifting mount Goverdhan on his little finger of his left hand without any effort. He has worn
pitamber dhoti. His naked upper portion is decorated with a very beautiful long garland of
white flowers. This feet touching garland is also decorated with red flowers and green
leaves. He is also wearing various ornaments along with peacock feathered special crown
on his head. In the right of Lord Krishna bright green coloured tree is shown beautifully.

The huge mount Goverdhan painted in multicolours a mirror of the Persian effect. The
depiction of trees, shrubs, grass, deer, monkeys etc. are shown nicely on this mountain.
While the gathering of Brijwasis in their regional dresses of all cadre along with their cattle
are painted carefully below the mountain for getting shelter from the deluge caused by
Indra, The God of rain. The herd of cow is painted very realistically in Mughal style in the
lower part of painting. While little bit dark blue coloured sky is visible from its top most
part. This is a vertical and crowded composition with the prominence of blue colour. Now
it is a collection of National museum, New Delhi.
OR
Kabir and Raidas: This horizontal tempera painting of Saint Kabir and Raidas is painted
by Ustad Faquirullah Khan in 17th century A.D. He was chief painter of Shahjahan court
and he was also a portrait maker. In this painting saint Kabir is weaving a garment besides
his hut in rural area. The other saint Raidas is sitting close to him with a mala of beads.
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Both saints are in deep meditation and in divine peace which is clearly visible at their faces.
The composition reflects the simple and peaceful environment of Indian village. Very fine
yellow and brown light and shades are used and the border of this miniature is of blue
colour. Though the portrait of both saints are very realistic and perfect but looks lifeless as
the decline of miniature paintings had begun from Shahjahan reign. Now it is a collection
of National museum, New Delhi.
OR
Dancers: This is a romantic tempera painting of Hyderabad School painted in 18 th century.
Its whole composition is symmetrical, eye catching and highly decorative. In this miniature
two innocent girls are dancing rhythmically in Deccani costumes with full vigour, moods
and sentiments. Both are well dressed, tall and looking smart. One is wearing red salwar,
mustard choli and yellow dupatta and other is dressed in purple salwar, mustard choli and
dark pink dupatta. The semi circular expansions in the transparent drapery tied from the
waists are painted to mark the beauty of the motion during dancing. Their faces are painted
in profile shape, lotus petal type eyes, high neck, long and pointed nose and black tresses
reaching up to their waists. They are in wheat complexioned and nicely decorated with
various types of ornaments. They are dancing on the open platform between two cream
coloured buildings. Their arch shaped body, position of legs, weaving dupattas mirrors the
perfect dancing pose. They are holding their hands beautifully in oval shape and facing
each other. There is a small fountain in the foreground and in the background a lotus pond
full of red and pink lotus has been painted. Their green colours leaves add extra beauty.
The background is shown much wider than foreground and the sky. The foreground and
the sky are painted approximately of same size. Besides the lotus pond in background some
buildings and trees are also painted. Blue black sky reflects the Persian effects. Artist is
unknown and it is the collection of National museum, New Delhi.

Que6. Mention the title of the painting done by each of the following painters of the
Bengal School included in your course of study:
a. Abanindranath Tagore
b. Nandlal Bose
c. Kshitindranath Majumdar
d. Sardacharan Ukil
e. Ramgopal Vijaivargiya

Ans. 6
(i) Journey’s End
(ii) Tiller of the Soil
(iii) Raslila
(iv) Ustad Mansoor.
(v) Arjun detach from War
(vi) Meghdoot
Que7. Mention the names of any three painters, a graphic-artist and a sculptor of
the contemporary (Modern) Indian Art included in your course of study, who are
important in your views.
Ans. 7
Name of Contemporary Modern Painters:
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 (i) Raja Ravi Verma
(ii) Gaganendranath Tagore.
(iii) Jamini Roy
(iv) Amrita Shergil
(v) M. F. Hussin
(vi) N. S. Bendre
(vii) G. R. Santosh
(viii) Kamlesh Dutt
(ix) K. C. S, Paniker

Name of Contemporary Modern Graphic Artists:

Name of Contemporary Modern Sculptors:

Que.8. Mention the names of any three painters of Rajasthani school of miniature
paintings and any two of the Pahari School of miniature painting included in your
course study.
Ans. 8
Rajasthani School’s Painters:
(i) Sahibdin
(ii) Utkalram
(iii) Dana
(iv) Nuruddin
(v) Nihalchand
(vi) Guman

Pahari School’s Painter:

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