Paintings

The Delhi school is a direct offshoot of the Mughal School. Mansoor, a famous painter of the Mughal Emperor Jahangir's court, is said to be the author of this school and his direct descendants can still be found following in his footsteps. Known for its dynamism and naturalism, this school used a strong contrast in colours and the paintings, which were done on ivory. Now because of the ban on ivory, a special handmade paper is used to create these exquisite paintings.

Rock paintings are a particular form of paintings done on the walls and ceilings of the cave shelter of ancient man. These paintings were the reflections of their social, cultural, religious and economic life. His main object of drawing were objects of nature like sun, moon, stars, animals, birds, plants, trees and rivers etc. Besides he used to draw several activities of everyday life like hunting, running, dancing and walking. These paintings were engraved on the walls and ceilings of the rock shelters with the help of some sharp objects like rock or metal pieces.

The traditional paintings of Assam serve as a source of inspiration to thousands of art lovers across the globe. Known for their unmatched quality and outstanding strokes of mastery, they have become an integral part of the rich Assamese culture and heritage. Tracing their origin to seventh century AD, Assamese paintings and manuscripts are said to have been derived from the mythological tales, the most prominent among which are Chitra Bhagavata and Hastividyaranya. Most of these manuscripts have been collected from different parts of the state and published in the form of books, along with the reproduction in the form of paintings. However, the illustrations in these manuscripts are a bit too refined to be categorized as folk paintings.

Scroll Painting is done on thick fabrics, with the help of natural colors. Popularly called Pat Chitra in Bengal, they vary in length and height. However an average scroll painting is about 15 ft long. It is divided into a number of compartments, with each compartment carrying an episode of the story being narrated through Pat Chitra.

Tangkha painting in one of the most artistic craft, it is prevalent mainly in Buddhist dominated area like Tawang, West kameng, Upper Siang Districts. The motif of the painting is mostly religious subject along with traditional value.

Nirmal paintings depict a wide range of expressions through subtle use of numerous colors. The expressions in these paintings appear real and sparkling. Nirmal is actually a place in Adilabad district and these paintings were named after the place of their origin. Initially, this work of art was exclusively practiced by a group of artisans known as 'Nagash'. In the 14th century, the 'Mughal' rulers patronized this art since they were mesmerized with its charm. Nirmal paintings are based on various themes, suggesting sharp influence from Indian schools including Kangra, Ajanta and Moghul miniatures.

Kalamkari is the unique art of painting fabrics with a 'kalam' (pen). Actually, this 'kalam' is no ordinary pen but a sharp pointed pierced bamboo that regulates flow of color on the fabric. The attractive blend of colors on the fabrics usually portrays characters from the Indian mythology. During the 17th and the 18th centuries, the art of Kalamkari was popularized to such an extent that it went across the shores of India. Kalamkari is still very much prevalent in Kalahasti and Machilipatnam. The colors to shade these paintings are extracted from the vegetable dyes. Besides mythological themes, the paintings also showcase various forms of lotus flower, the cartwheel, parrots and delicate designs of leaves and flowers.