19th Century Fusion: Western Indian Painting school in Rajasthan & Gujarat

The Western Indian Painting School emerged in the 19th century, blending Indian and Western artistic traditions. It thrived in regions like Rajasthan and Gujarat, showcasing vibrant colors and intricate details.

Flourishing Regions of Western Indian Painting School: Gujarat’s Hub and Trade Routes

• Location: The Western Indian Painting School primarily thrived in western India, with Gujarat as its main hub. 
  • Other centers included southern Rajasthan and western parts of Central India.
• Influence on Artistic Patronage: Significant ports in Gujarat facilitated trade routes, empowering merchants, traders, and local chieftains as influential patrons of art, owing to the prosperity of trading.

Prominent Schools Western Indian Painting School: Jain, Sultanate, and Pala Traditions

Jain School of Painting: Birth, Evolution, and Splendor in Western Indian Painting School

• Birth in Western India: The Jain community, predominantly merchants, became notable patrons of Jain-themed art, leading to the birth of the Jain School of Painting within the Western Indian Painting School.
• Shaastradaan: Jain paintings saw growth due to the concept of “shaastradaan” (donation of books). 
  • Donating illustrated paintings to monastery libraries or “bhandars” was seen as a noble act of charity.
• Prominent Jain Texts for Artistic Interpretation: Artistic Evolution from Palm Leaves to Paper
  • Kalpasutra: It depicts events from the lives of the 24 Tirthankaras, focusing on five key incidents – conception, birth, renunciation, enlightenment, the first sermon, and salvation. 
  • Kalakacharyakatha: It tells the adventurous tale of Acharya Kalaka on a quest to rescue his abducted sister from an evil king.
  • Uttaradhyana Sutra: It outlines Mahavir’s teachings on the conduct monks should adopt.
    • Sangrahani Sutra: A 12th-century cosmological text detailing the universe’s structure and space mapping.
  • The Jain community produced multiple copies of these texts, either with minimal or abundant illustrations. 
  • Folio Structure: A typical folio is split into sections for text and painting, secured together with strings passing through a central hole, and shielded with wooden covers called “patlis”.
  • Evolution from Palm Leaves to Paper: Initially, Jain paintings were on palm leaves until the 14th century, when paper was introduced. 
    • The earliest palm leaf manuscript from western India dates back to the 11th century.
  • Unique Style: Due to space constraints on palm leaves, early paintings mainly adorned the “patlis”, evolving into a unique style emphasizing bright colours, textile patterns, and schematic depictions.

• Evolution and Styles in Jain Painting: A period from 1350 to 1450 marks Jain paintings’ creative zenith, transitioning from strict iconic depictions to more diverse and intricate artwork, such as landscapes, figures, and musicians, adorned lavishly with gold and lapis lazuli.
  • Other Popular Works: Apart from canonical texts, other artworks like Tirthipatas, Mandalas, and secular tales were also popular within the Jain community.

Indigenous Style of Painting: Pre-Mughal Traditions in Literary Depictions

• Parallel Tradition Emerges: Beyond Jain paintings, a parallel painting tradition emerged in the late 15th and 16th centuries among the feudal lords, wealthy citizens, and others, capturing secular, religious, and literary themes.
• Native Emergence: This style signifies the native painting tradition before the Rajasthani court styles and Mughal influences merged. 
• Literary Works Depicted: Works during this phase, representing subjects like Mahapurana, Chaurapanchasika, Bhagavata Purana, and Gita Govinda, characterize this indigenous style, occasionally termed pre-Mughal or pre-Rajasthani.

Sultanate School of Painting: Central Asian Influences in Indian Masterpieces

• Sultanate School Emerges: Post the late 12th century, regions in north, east, and west India came under the rule of the Sultanate dynasties from Central Asia, introducing Persian, Turkic, and Afghan influences.
• Cultural Fusion in Art: Collaborations between Central Asian artists and local artisans birthed the Sultanate School of Painting, more a ‘style’ than a ‘school’, merging indigenous and Persian elements.
• “Nimatnama” Masterpiece: “Nimatnama” (Book of Delicacies) from Mandu during Nasir Shah Khalji’s reign (1500-1510 CE) stands out as a prime example, detailing recipes, hunting techniques, and instructions on medicine and cosmetics.

Pala School of Painting: Buddhist Splendor in Eastern India’s Golden Age

• Emergence: The Pala School of Painting originates from the illustrated manuscripts of the Palas of eastern India during the eleventh and twelfth centuries.
• Buddhism Prominence: The Pala period (750 CE to mid-twelfth century) marked the final prominent phase of Buddhist art in India.

Centers of Art and Learning during the Pala Period: Monastic Learning, Bronze Casting, and Global Influence

• Monastic Centers Thrive: Renowned monasteries, including Nalanda and Vikramsila, emerged as pivotal centers for Buddhist learning, art, and the illustration of manuscripts with Buddhist themes on palm leaves.
  • Bronze Casting: These institutions also hosted workshops dedicated to casting bronze images.
• Educational Pilgrimages: Students and pilgrims from regions like Southeast Asia visited these monasteries for education and spiritual teachings.
• Pala Art’s Global Reach: They often returned home with Pala Buddhist art specimens, such as bronze artifacts and illustrated manuscripts, facilitating the spread of Pala art to locations like Nepal, Tibet, Burma, Sri Lanka, and Java.

Characteristics of Pala Paintings: Distinctive Features and Astasahasrika Masterpiece

• Distinctive Features: Pala paintings are distinct from Jain paintings, defined by their flowing, sinuous lines and subdued color tones.
• Ajanta Art Influence: The Pala sculptural styles at monasteries shared similarities with their painterly images, reminiscent of the art at Ajanta.
• Exemplary Palm Leaf Manuscript: A prime example of a Pala Buddhist palm leaf manuscript is the “Astasahasrika Prajnaparamita” (found in Bodleian Library, Oxford), also known as the ‘Perfection of Wisdom. 
• Masterpiece-“Astasahasrika Prajnaparamita”: This masterpiece, created at the Nalanda monastery during King Ramapala’s reign in the eleventh century, boasts six illustrated pages and wooden covers adorned with paintings on both sides.

Decline of Pala Paintings: 13th-Century Decline Amidst Invasion and Destruction

• Pala art ended in the first half of the thirteenth century when Muslim invaders targeted and destroyed the monasteries.

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