Rajasthani painting was auspiciously cherished long back during the mediaeval era, with the support and monetary assistance of the kings of several self-regulating states of Rajasthan. These have also been referred to as Rajputana paintings, as the land of Rajasthan was widely known as Rajputana too in the mediaeval period, that is, somewhat between the 16th and 19th century.

The Indian Art That Transformed The Middle Ages

The time period known as the Indian Middle Ages saw the greatest proliferation of these one-of-a-kind Indian art styles that were heavily influenced by Mughal culture. However, it is quite different from Mughal paintings, specifically in its preference of themes, colour usage, and the interpretation of the human figures in those paintings.

The landscape paintings of Rajasthani form revealed the jagged and grimy features of the desert land of Rajasthan, while Mughal paintings laid more emphasis on the background of multihued and vivid gardens as well as the amusing landscapes as liked by the Mughal rulers.

The Techniques And Style Of Rajputana Paintings

Reminiscent of a few other Indian contemporary art forms, Rajputana paintings also used quite a few natural pigments, extracted from plant body parts, rocky minerals, even pulverised valuable stones and fine particles of gold and silver.

A fact that stands out is that they never used any chemical colours in their work, which is another important point to take into consideration regarding their body of work. They used very fine brushes to paint their pictures, and the brushes were made out of plant twigs or the hair from the tails of squirrels. Paper and canvas were the typical mediums used in the creation of these artworks. However, magnificent works of art were created during that time period and adorn the walls and ceilings of a number of renowned and prominent Rajput palaces and forts that were built during that time period. In addition to this, the murals inside the City Palace in Udaipur are a large part of the reason why it is considered to be one of the most beautiful palaces in all of Rajasthan. The miniature style of art that is typical of Rajasthan is frequently regarded as being the most fascinating and captivating of all the styles. Silk, wood, and paper were the most frequently utilised mediums for the creation of these paintings; however, ivory and marble were also incorporated into a few of them.

Art Movements From Ancient to Modern

During the earlier period, there were a number of different art movements, each of which had their own set of distinguishing characteristics as well as their own unique geographical roots.
In fact, the paintings not only explicitly portray the religious beliefs of the people of that period but also give an in-depth insight into the social life of the individuals living during the mediaeval era. As a consequence of this, they offer an exhaustive depiction of the people who were indigenous to Rajasthan during the time period in question.
Art enthusiasts from India and elsewhere in the world continue to hold the belief that Rajasthani painting is a form of art that is both very old and very advanced. You can learn more about Rajasthani art if you take a look at the different works of art that we currently have available on our website.