North India, Imperial Mughal
Emperor Jahangir returning from a hunt c1610, opaque watercolour with gold on paper, 19.7 x 11.2 cm
Bequest of Miss Gwendolen Griffiths 1968
EP1.1968
 
 

Indian Painting

The intimate nature of Indian paintings is evident not only in the subjects such as the seductive themes of love popular in the Rajput tradition, but also in the manner of their viewing. The miniature paintings of the Rajput and Mughal traditions were not hung on walls but held in the hand like treasured books. The exquisite detail and narrative quality of these early paintings have continued to inform contemporary artists.

Rajput paintings commissioned by the Hindu courts of Rajasthan in northwest India drew themes from heroic myths of the blue-god Krishna, the romantic love of the Baramasa (songs of the twelve months) and the musical modes called ragas. For Mughal rulers the painted manuscript was a prestigious emblem of power used to document imperial history and demanding the highest standards in materials and craftsmanship. These courtly traditions may be contrasted with the quickly executed paintings of Hindu gods produced by local artists at pilgrimage centres. In the 20th century colonial rule, industrialisation and the rise of nationalism have caused profound shifts in the development of Indian art, with painting reflecting the struggle to achieve an international, yet truly Indian aesthetic.

Pictured left, Emperor Jahangir (r1605-1627) sits astride an elephant surveying the scene of his hunting triumph. The composition conveys the emperor's bravery and prowess but also his interest in nature as conveyed in the detailed animal studies. In Mughal portraits the subject was often shown in profile with accoutrements or a backdrop indicating his personality and status.
 

Rajasthan, Kotah
Vasant ragini c1770
opaque watercolour with gold on paper, 18.2 x 12.2 cm
Purchased 1997
82.1997
 
Produced in the Rajput kingdom of Kotah this painting associates the lush beauty of Vasant, the month of spring, with the joyful dance of Krishna. It is part of a set of representations of raga and subordinate musical modes called ragini which express emotions of devotion, loneliness, eroticism and heroism.

Nalini Malani (Mumbai, b1946) Lohar Chawl 1991
From the Hieroglyph series bound book, 33 photocopied monotypes worked in mixed media, 22.3 x 27.8 cm (leaf)
Purchased 1994
358.1994

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Malini explores postcolonial issues of urban and third world poverty, decay, exploitation and violence. Her narrative style and layering of images illuminate the life of Lohar Chawl, a small, urban street in Mumbai documenting an area which history may otherwise sweep aside.