Rajasthani (culture or style)

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Scope note
One of the two main schools of the Rajput style of Indian miniature painting, the other being Pahari, with which it is closely allied in terms of technique and subject matter. This one is geographically based in the Central Plains region. The evolution of Rajasthani painting out of early Western Indian painting is not completely understood. It seems to have begun in the 16th century, and in its first phase retained a hieratic and abstract quality. The subject matter is essentially Hindu, with particular attention to the life of Krishna. The literature and painting of the time were products of the contemporary religious development that emphasized devotion to Krishna as the way to salvation. Popular themes were pictorial representations of the musical modes (ragamala) and of love poetry. The style was not much influenced by Mughal painting styles until the eighteenth century when the sharp distinction between the two styles became more obscured. The style developed various distinct schools, some of which are outside of the geographical borders of Rajasthan.
Rajasthani
Accepted term: 06-May-2024