Unit 1 –History of Indian Art - Origin and development of Miniature Paintings in India
MINIATURE PAINTING
Any painting done in small size, in any medium and on any surface is called Miniature Painting. It is generally executed on palm-leaf, a piece of cloth, a piece of leather, ivory or paper.
The Miniature Painting is represented in its minute details. It may be a portrait, illustration of any story or a scene from daily life. From medieval period onwards we find healthy tradition of miniature painting in different schools of painting.
They belong to three distinct schools:
Pala School of Art, in Bengal, Bihar and Orissa.
Under the Pala Kings in Bengal, Buddhist manuscripts were illustrated in Ajanta style but adapted in the miniature style. In one or two bright colours well-formed lines, simplicity of composition and graceful attitude of the figures, have an appeal of their own. Painted on palm leaves of 2.25 inches by 22.5 inches they usually carry the paintings of Buddhist deities and scenes from the life of Buddha. These paintings are done during the reign of Raja Dharam Pal and Dev Pal in the university of Nalanda and Vikramshila. They were mostly done by the students, but chief among them were Dhiman and Bitpal. The paintings have been done on the middle of the palm leaf and script written on both the sides (5 to 6 lines). No name of any artist is written on the manuscripts.
Characteristic of Pala School are:
1. The illustrations are painted on palm leaf (Talapatras).
2. Most of Pala school’s paintings are religious and related to Lord Buddha.
3. Mainly one and a quarter eyes face are drawn, eyes are closed, nose is too long lies across the other cheek, contour lines have been drawn in black. In the paintings, heads flat which make it rather lifeless. Mostly red, pink, blue and grey colours have been used in the paintings. Limited numbers of figures are painted.
JAIN SCHOOL OF ART, IN GUJARAT
The oldest paintings of this school are Parasanath, Nerm'nath, and Rishbhnath done on palm leaves. A total of 20 Tirthankaras in Kalikacharya katha" and "Kalpasutra" are painted. The illustrations recall the monotonous paintings of the Jain caves Ellora. But the flowers, birds and animals are quite fascinating. Golden, yellow and red colours have been used in the illustrations. Female figures are in rare in Jain School. Garments have been painted
beautifully, especially white cloths painted like pearls. In human figures side face, one and half eyed faces and front faces have been done.
In 14th century paper became popular for miniature. This style was no longer as elegant as before. The artificial rendering of the pointed nose and eye projecting into space profile had become an established feature. The colouring was so rich that it tired people. There was little aesthetic value. Some Persian influence got into Jain painting through Muslim Sultanate who ruled in Gujarat in the 14th century and admired Persian art and culture. This mixed lndian and Persian elements especially in drawing of the horses and clouds formation became fashionable.
Central Indian Painting
Central Indian painting is a mixture of many styles. It grew up between 11th to 16th centuries A.D. It was made up from the Jain manuscript from Gujarat, Muslim painting of Jaunpur and Oudhi (Odisha) from the East, Rajasthani from the North and Deccani mode from South. A new and richer style grew up from the fusion of all these styles.
Apabhransa style
Characteristics of the style are bulging out eye over an empty space, parval like eyes, pointed nose and doubled chin. Sri Ramkrishna Das named style them as "Apnbhransa" style.
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