A style of painting in India from the mid 19th to the beginning of the 20th century that emphasises Western techniques of realism under the influence of art academies established by the British Raj in key colonial cities such as Bombay and Calcutta. Due to increased patronage of art by the Indian elite and the rise of salon exhibitions, realistic oil painting was in high demand, especially portraiture and historical subjects, and remained popular until the development of the Bengal School.
