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.