Painting for Patrons: The Tradition of Miniatures Flashcards
The evolution of different art styles
Who were Patrons?
A group of rulers and rich people who provided protection and livelihood.
What was a miniature?
Small painting on paper in the Persian tradition for a book or album.
Where are miniatures usually done? [generalize]
Done on cloth or paper
What was material was used for the painting of Miniatures?
Water colors
Where were the earliest miniatures on?
Palm leaves or wood
Where are the most beautiful miniatures found? What were they used to illustrate?
Western India, Jaina texts
The Mughal Emperors _______, _______ and _______ patronized _____ who primarily illustrated _______.
Akbar, Shah Jahan, Jahangir, highly skilled painters, manuscripts
The Mughal Emperors patronized highly skilled painters who primarily illustrated manuscripts containing ______ and ________.
Historical accounts and poetry
What were miniatures generally painted in?
Brilliant colors
What did miniatures potray?
court scenes, scenes of battle or hunting, and other aspects of social life.
Was a miniature viewed by everybody?
No, it was only viewed by a exclusive few- the emperor and his close associates. They were often exchanged as gifts
Why did many painters move to emerging regional states and what happened as a result?
Due to the decline of the Mughal empire, as a result Mughal artistic tastes influenced the regional courts of the Deccan and the Rajput courts of Rajasthan
When Mughal artistic tastes influenced the regional courts, did miniatures retain and develop their distinctive characteristics?
Yes. Portraits of rulers and court scenes came to painted, for example.
Themes from mythology and poetry were depicted in centers such as _______, ________, _______, ________ and ________.
Mewar, Jodhpur, Bundi, Kota and Kishangarh.
True or False? Another region that attracted miniature paintings was the Himalayan foothills around the modern day state of Uttarakhand.
False, Himachal Pradesh
Where and when did the Basholi style of painting develop?
Himalayan foothills of Himachal Pradesh, By the late 17th century.
What is the Basholi style of painting?
Bold and intense style of miniature painting developed in the state of modern-day Himachal Pradesh.
What is the most popular text to be painted in the Basholi style of painting?
Bhanudatta’s Rasamanjari
Why did Mughal artists migrate to the hills?
To escape the uncertainties of the plains as a result of Nadir Shah’s invasion and the conquest of Delhi in 1739, Mughal artists migrated to the hills.
What led to the founding of the Kangra school of painting?
To escape the uncertainties of the plains as a result of Nadir Shah’s invasion and the conquest of Delhi in 1739, Mughal artists migrated to the hills.
Here they found ready patrons that led to the founding of the Kangra school of painting.
By which century did the Kangra artists develop a new style of painting? What was the source of inspiration?
mid-18th century, Vaishnavite traditions
_____________________, and a _________________ distinguished the Kangra style of Painting.
Soft colours such as cool blues and greens, and a lyrical treatment of themes
Name the region where a Rajput miniature of Maharana singh II Playing holi was found.
Kota, Rajasthan
Did the Rajputs celebrate any festivals? if yes, name any one.
yes, Holi
Where did the Pahari style of miniature originate?
Himachal Pradesh
A Kangra miniature of Krishna, Radha and her companion was found in?
Himachal Pradesh
Did ordinary men and women paint as well? If yes, Mention some places they did. Did all of them survive?
Yes, on pots, walls , floors, cloth- works of art that have occasionally survived, unlike the miniatures that were carefully preserved in palaces for centuries.
