Manjusha Painting

Originating in the Bhagalpur region of Bihar, Manjusha or Angika art prominently features snake motifs and is painted on jute boxes and paper.

Thangka Paintings

Practiced in Sikkim, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh, Thangkas are Buddhist religious paintings made on cotton canvas using natural dyes. They depict Buddha’s life, cosmology and meditation deities and are often framed with silk brocade.

Warli Paintings

Dating back to 2500–3000 BCE, Warli paintings are tribal wall murals from the Maharashtra-Gujarat border. Using simple geometric shapes, they depict daily life, rituals, festivals and fertility symbols. Traditionally painted with white pigment on red-ochre backgrounds.

Kalamkari Paintings

Derived from the word kalam (pen), Kalamkari involves hand-painting on cotton fabric using natural vegetable dyes. Major centres include Srikalahasti and Machilipatnam in Andhra Pradesh. Themes include Hindu mythology and decorative motifs.

Paitkar Paintings

Practiced by tribal communities in Jharkhand, Paitkar paintings are among India’s oldest art forms. They are associated with rituals, yajnas and beliefs about life after death. This art is currently endangered.

Kalighat Paintings

Developed in 19th-century Kolkata, Kalighat paintings were created by rural migrants near the Kalighat temple. Painted with watercolours on mill paper, they initially depicted religious themes and later evolved to comment on social issues, hypocrisy and changing gender roles.

Patua Art

Originating in Bengal around a thousand years ago, Patua art consists of scroll paintings accompanied by songs narrating religious, social or political stories. Traditionally painted on cloth, modern versions use paper and poster colours.

Pattachitra

 A traditional art form of Odisha, Pattachitra literally means “cloth painting.” It blends classical and folk elements, with themes drawn mainly from Jagannath and Vaishnava traditions.

Natural colours derived from minerals and plants are used, and the painting is finished with a lacquer coating for a glossy effect. Palm-leaf Pattachitra, known as Talapattachitra, is also popular.

Madhubani Paintings

Also known as Mithila paintings, this art originated in villages around Madhubani in Bihar and extends into Nepal’s Terai region. Traditionally practiced by women, themes are largely religious, depicting Hindu deities such as Krishna, Rama, Durga, Lakshmi and Shiva.

Paintings are flat, two-dimensional with no shading, characterised by bold colours, double-line borders, ornate floral designs and exaggerated facial features. Originally painted on walls using rice paste and vegetable colours, the medium later shifted to paper and canvas. The art received national recognition in 1970 and has GI status.

Cubist Style of Painting

Inspired by the European Cubist movement, this style involved breaking objects into parts, analysing them and reassembling them in abstract forms. Artists aimed to balance line and colour while depicting multiple perspectives.

M.F. Husain was a major Indian cubist artist. His series Personification of Romance frequently used horses as motifs to express movement and dynamism.

Raja Ravi Verma

Raja Ravi Verma is regarded as one of India’s greatest painters and the pioneer of modern Indian art due to his synthesis of Indian themes with Western techniques. Hailing from Kerala, he earned the title “Raphael of the East” for his lifelike paintings and mastery of oil painting.

His famous works include Lady in the Moonlight, Mother India, and scenes from the Ramayana such as Ravana Kidnapping Sita. His life inspired the film Rang Rasiya.

Bazaar Paintings

Bazaar paintings were also influenced by European contact but differed from Company paintings. Instead of blending Indian and European styles, they primarily adopted Greco-Roman artistic conventions. Artists often copied Greek and Roman statues.

This school flourished mainly in Bengal and Bihar. Subjects included Indian bazaars set against European backgrounds and depictions of Indian courtesans performing before British officials. While religious themes were painted, traditional Indian iconographic features like multiple arms or elephant heads were avoided to suit European aesthetic norms.

Company Paintings

During the colonial period, a hybrid style known as Company Painting emerged, combining Indian traditions with European techniques. British officials employed Indian painters trained in Mughal and Rajput styles, who adapted their art to European tastes.

These paintings are characterised by the use of watercolours, linear perspective, shading and realism. The style originated in centres such as Kolkata, Chennai, Delhi, Patna, Varanasi and Thanjavur. Prominent patrons included Lord Impey and Marquess Wellesley. Famous painters were Sewak Ram, Ishwari Prasad and Ghulam Ali Khan. The genre remained prevalent till the 20th century.

Mysore Paintings

Mysore paintings were patronised by the rulers of the Mysore kingdom and continued even during the British period. The primary theme is the depiction of Hindu gods and goddesses. These paintings typically contain two or more figures, with one dominant figure larger in size and richer in colour.

A distinctive feature is the use of “gesso paste,” made from zinc oxide and Arabic gum, which gives a luminous background. Muted colours are then applied to balance the sheen, making Mysore paintings visually elegant and refined.

Tanjore Paintings

The Thanjavur or Tanjore School is famous for its distinctive decorative style of painting. It flourished under the patronage of the Maratha rulers during the 18th century. These paintings are unique as they are mostly created on glass and wooden boards instead of cloth and vellum, which were preferred in North India. A striking feature is the use of brilliant colour schemes and the liberal application of gold leaf.

Gemstones and cut glass pieces were used as embellishments to create larger-than-life images. Most paintings depict Lord Krishna in various poses and episodes from his life. The art reached its zenith under the patronage of Sarfoji Maharaj, a great patron of arts. Although still practiced today, artists have expanded themes to include birds, animals, landscapes and buildings.

Marwar School of Painting

The Marwar School is one of the most extensive schools of Rajasthani painting, encompassing Jodhpur and Bikaner, ruled by the Rathods, and Jaisalmer, ruled by the Bhatis. Like Bikaner, Jodhpur was a desert kingdom that prospered through close ties with the Mughal Empire. In the paintings of the 15th and 16th centuries, both men and women are depicted wearing colourful attire.

During the early period, Mughal artistic patterns were followed, but after the 18th century, Rajput elements became more prominent. This later phase saw an emphasis on linear rhythm combined with bright colours. The Jodhpur atelier produced many outstanding works, particularly during and after the reign of Man Singh (1803–1843). He commissioned extensive illustrated series such as the Shiva Purana, Natacharitra, Durgacharitra, and the Panchatantra.

Amber–Jaipur School of Painting

The rulers of Amber were closely associated with the Mughal court and were major patrons and collectors of painting. Despite this, the identity of the Amber School is less clearly defined than that of other schools, partly because much of its collection remains unpublished and in private hands.

Also known as the Dhundar School, its earliest evidence is found in wall paintings at Bairat in Rajasthan. Paintings are also seen on the palace walls and mausoleum of the Amer Palace. Although some figures wear Mughal-style clothing and headgear, the overall style of these paintings remains distinctly folk in nature.

This school reached its peak during the reign of Sawai Pratap Singh in the 18th century. A deeply religious ruler and passionate patron of art, he encouraged the production of miniature paintings in the suratkhana (department of painting). These included illustrated manuscripts of the Bhagavata Purana, Ramayana, Ragamala, and several portraits.

Bundi School of Painting

The twin kingdoms of Bundi and Kota, collectively known as Hadoti, share closely intertwined histories and artistic traditions. These sister states were formed by the division of the older Bundi kingdom between two brothers. Although both developed rich artistic traditions, Kota, the younger kingdom, became particularly known for its remarkable paintings and eccentric patrons.

The rulers of Bundi and Kota were devout followers of Krishna and, in the 18th century, declared themselves mere regents ruling on behalf of the god, who was considered the true king. This Krishna-bhakti strongly influenced their paintings. Special paintings were also commissioned for later rulers, including Rao Ram Singh II.

In the Bundi School, local vegetation is depicted in great detail. Human faces are generally round with pointed noses. The sky is painted in different colours, and a red ribbon-like form is often visible in the sky.

Kishangarh School of Painting

The Kishangarh School of Painting is associated with some of the most romantic legends of Indian art, particularly that of Sawant Singh and his beloved Bani Thani, reflecting the intertwining of romance, mythology, and bhakti. This school developed through the close interaction between Sawant Singh, the prince and lover; Nagari Das, the poet; and Nihal Chand, the painter, who together created some of the most iconic works of this tradition.

The figure of Bani Thani is often said to resemble Radha. She is depicted with a distinctive profile, large and lustrous eyes, thin lips, and a pointed chin. Her odhni or headgear defines her side profile. This stylised feminine form became the hallmark of the Kishangarh School. The artists also produced numerous paintings depicting the devotional and amorous relationship between Radha and Krishna.

Mewar School of Painting

The kingdom of Mewar resisted Mughal suzerainty for the longest time and eventually accepted Mughal authority during the reign of Shah Jahan. The capital of Mewar shifted from Ranthambhore and Chittorgarh, after the fall of these forts, to temporary bases in the wilderness. Later, during more peaceful times, the city of Udaipur was established. The rulers of Mewar continued to patronise art even during periods of adversity, though the years of relative peace and prosperity witnessed an extraordinary flowering of artistic activity.

Early Mewar painting is dominated by the remarkable figure of the artist Sahibdin. This phase focused on his illustrations of literary texts such as the Rasikapriya, the Ramayana, and the Bhagavata Purana. After Sahibdin’s death, the style of Mewar painting underwent a change, with greater emphasis on depictions of court life. A unique feature of this later phase is the extraordinary tamasha paintings, which portray court ceremonies and city views in unprecedented detail.