India's art heritage is a remarkable document of the Indian society's changing face through the ages. The enormous variety in style, technique, media and themes is a pointer to the richness of Indian art and its evolution. Indian art has retained a unique character in spite of assimilating in its fold myriad other influences that have come its way. The development of Indian art and paintings in terms of form makes a fascinating study.
History of Indian Art and Paintings
India is a culturally rich country where the tradition of art and painting has flourished since pre-historic times. Art, painting and sculpture have been a significant part of India's daily life. Even today, the tradition of drawing auspicious designs on floors, doors and walls (known variously as rangoli, alpana, etc.) exists in many parts of India.
Art in Ancient India
Perhaps the earliest instances of painting can be found in are the painted pots of Indus valley civilization, dating back to the 3rd Century BC. The animal and human figures sketched on the walls of Bhimbetka caves in Madhya Pradesh are regared to be among the earliest paintings in India. The celebrated frescoes in Ajanta, Ellora, Bagh and Sittanvasal are among the earliest cave paintings using coloured dyes. Many ancient Indian texts have discussion on theoretical aspects of the use of colour, suggesting that painting had evolved considerably as a fine art. References to painting and colours can be found in ancient Buddhist and Jain texts also. Many ancient temples, such as those in Tanjore and Vidharbha, have paintings that demonstrate a remarkable degree of sophistication in style and technique.
Indian Art during the Medival era
In the medieval ages, Indian painting underwent several significant changes. The paintings of this period have an unmistakable Persian influence. The foundations of several schools of painting, such as the Deccan, Kangra, Mughal and Rajput forms, were laid during this period. The Ragini paintings, depicting the musical ragas, represent the confluence of two cultural entities -- music and art -- and are unique creations of this period.
The post-medieval age is dominated by primarily by Raja Ravi Verma. His paintings, predominantly oil-on-canvas, are a wonderful celebration of the Indian women. He is considered to be the father of realistic painting in India. Many of his works are now recognised as masterpieces, and are part of valuable collections.
Emergence of Modern Indian Art
Modern Indian art is widely regarded to have originated in the 20th Century, with the arrival of the Bengal school of painting. This school was heavily influenced by European art, though one of the most prominent figures of this period, Abanindranath Tagore, also employed elements of Japanese and Chinese techniques to his works. This was a period that is characterised by paintings that are highly individualistic. Among the other well known painters of this period are the multi-faceted genius Rabindranath Tagore, Nandalal Bose, Jamini Roy, etc.
