The miniature paintings hold a legacy
These tiny masterpieces are little time capsules, each telling stories that span thousands of years. You're at a bustling market and come across a miniature painting. It's small enough to carry around but rich enough to give you a glimpse into the lives of people from millennia ago. And guess what? These mini marvels existed even before paper did!
Yes. Let’s see what all that’s about.
Why is it called “miniature”?
The term "miniature painting" originates from the Latin words ‘minium’ and ‘miniare’, meaning "red lead paint" and "to color with red lead," respectively. Before paper, these miniatures were crafted on palm leaf or wood, showcasing themes from as early as five thousand years ago, initially meant for Egyptian tombs to accompany the deceased into the afterlife.
Yes, that’s right, miniature paintings didn’t emerge from Persia or India. They have their roots in ancient Egypt. Talk about a plot twist! However, they are a tribute to the enduring legacy of Indian art. Are you curious about how these ancient traditions traveled into India and evolved?
Miniature painting in India
In India, the history of miniature paintings can be traced back to the Palas of Bengal and reached its peak during Mughal rule. Predating even the invention of paper, these handmade artworks vividly depict ancient Indian history and preserve the country's rich cultural heritage.
The early schools of miniature painting included Pala and Jain, which later evolved into the Rajasthani, Mughal, Pahari, and Deccan schools. During the Mughal era, Akbar's passion for art led to a unique blend of Persian and Indian styles, further influenced by European influences.
Indian miniature paintings have a long history, dating back to around 700 A.D. Initially used as decorative elements in old Indian manuscripts and wall paintings, they flourished during the Mughal period from the 16th to the 19th century.
The Mughal emperors were great patrons of art and employed skilled artists to create intricate and aesthetically pleasing paintings. The subjects of these paintings ranged from religious themes to portraits of monarchs and their courts, as well as scenes from daily life.
The Rajput courts of Rajasthan and the Pahari courts in the Himalayan foothills also significantly contributed to the development of miniature painting. Art-appreciating Rajput kings and nobility commissioned talented artists to create magnificent paintings depicting religious and mythological themes, along with scenes from court life.
During the colonial period, miniature painting gained even more popularity in India as European collectors and scholars began to recognize its beauty and significance. Today, a few highly skilled artists continue to create intricate and exquisite miniature paintings that are admired worldwide.
The Mughal Miniature Paintings
The Mughals were the trendsetters of their time, bringing Persian flair to Indian creativity.
One of the distinctive features of Mughal miniature art is the use of a flat aerial perspective, with subjects depicted upright and surrounded by ornate borders.
Although Akbar is often credited with establishing Mughal miniature art in India, it was his father, Humayun, who played a pivotal role by bringing renowned painters Mir Sayyid Ali and Khwaja Abdus Samad Khan from the Persian court.
These artists established a Royal Art Academy to teach the Mughal style to Indian artists, leading to a flourishing of the art form during the Mughal reign from the 16th to 18th centuries. Under the patronage of the Mughals, Indian artists created exceptional works of art that spread beyond the Mughal court, influencing other courts in Northern India, including those ruled by Hindu and Sikh rulers.
Speaking of the Mughal legacy, their gardens were the real show-stoppers, featuring walled spaces filled with flowers, pools, birds, and shaded walkways. Mughal aesthetics extended from architecture to painting.
It's no surprise that their love for nature and detailed observation of plants found their way into their art. Later, they also adopted the single-point perspective, like the European painters, and started using a flattened multi-layered style.
However, under Emperor Aurangzeb's rule, the Royal Art Academy was closed down, forcing artists to seek patronage elsewhere. Many artists sought refuge in Rajput courts and the British East India Company. Artworks also entered private collections, with Persia looting Delhi and the East India Company transporting miniatures to London.
Today, renowned British museums, like the V&A in London, house notable miniature collections. The Mughal Empire's aesthetic legacy persists in India, especially in Mughal-style gardens and through the remnants of their architecture.
The Creation of Miniature Paintings
What makes this craft unique is how the artists pay a great deal of attention to every material used in the process. Including the paper and dyes, each material has to be meticulously picked and prepared. The dyes are created from vegetables, metals, oxides, and earth.
This process requires a mortar, pestle, or stone, to grind them into a fine powder. It is then mixed with water or gum and filtered until it’s entirely free from sand or other particles. The water is removed after the filtration process, and the dyes are stored as balls.
Later when required, the desired paint is mixed with some dry gum and dissolved in water to create these exquisite master miniature pieces.
It is not just the dyes or the paper, the brushes used in this art have a specialty of their own. The artists prepare the brushes themselves, with such dexterity that if the hands are balanced even a bit, the line would not break or shake.
Back in the day, to assemble this special brush for fine detailing, they’d have to gather hair from the ears or tail or soft hair on any part of a young goat, a cow, a calf, or a mongoose. For quality work, they’d resort to squirrel’s tail hair.
Rajesh Kumawat: The Modern Master
One such master of this art form is Rajesh Kumawat of Jaipur, whose Mughal miniature paintings are on display at SAV. Rajesh meticulously creates everything from scratch. It’s a literal handcrafted art from start to end.
Rajesh Kumawat specializes in Mughal miniature paintings, which are aimed at contextual naturalism. The Mughal style offers subtlety and finesse, bringing depth by portraying almost three-dimensional figures and creating optical reality.
In its most evolved yet sustaining form, Rajesh Kumawat tries to captivate his audience with his highly emotive and expressive minor detailing in his miniature paintings.
His work explores the three stages of love as described by the Sufis, with a trilogy series that captures the progression from "Dilkashi" (attraction) to "Ibadat" (devotion), and finally the ultimate proclamation of "Mohabbat" (love). These paintings are not just visually stunning but are imbued with deep cultural significance, embodying the profound narratives that SAV strives to preserve and promote.
So, what makes this painting special? This painting is all about pairs.
It has an arched frame and intricate border that makes viewers feel like they're witnessing a couple sharing an intimate moment. Like many Mughal paintings, the border is decked out with a variety of animals and nature, like rabbits, deer, plants, and mountains.
The artist pairs up all the animals and plants to show how important it is to have a buddy. And to drive the point home, the border around the painting is also two-toned. It's like the artist used the border as an extra canvas to mirror the subjects and their poses.
To witness this extraordinary piece of work visit Sabari Artisans Village and immerse yourself in the timeless legacy of miniature paintings. Whether you're an art enthusiast or simply curious, these tiny masterpieces are sure to captivate your heart and soul.
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