Assignment -2

Essay on Indian Art- Miniature painting

Abhinav Yagnik

Introduction
Paper is about the experience of direct encounter of Indian art in National Museum, Delhi.
Looking at sculptures and section of miniature paintings, I had a different experience with both. I
found sculptures had a volume, physicality, solidity in actual space. Sculptures possessed an
idea/concept to convey in a masculine & feminine form or interlined with both.

On the other hand miniature paintings were beautiful narratives with exuberant colors. Nature
plays an important element in miniature to convey either season, mood of hero / heroines,
situations etc. Painting has a timeless quality to it. They are beautifully stylized according to
their schools and practices. Miniature painting invites the viewer to look into it because of fine
detailed lines which surprise the viewer with its skillfulness and minute elements which one can
easily ignore. Nature and architecture go harmoniously with each other. Paintings have a
poetic/lyrical quality to it. I got a sense of decoration of musical quality in the painting. So the
stillness and decorative element of painting, relates with Ragas of classical Indian music.

From the lot of paintings I choose ‘Ladies playing Chaupar’. This piece is been dated between
1726-30 A.D. To look at the picture I had to bend & kneel down to see the details of the painting.
Painting was displayed on the lower side of the wall, so I was in an uncomfortable position to see
the painting. Picture is framed in the middle leaving inches of gap between painting and the
frame, cutting out the original painted frame from the painting. As I have seen every miniature
painting has a painted frame to it. Since the frame of the painting seems complete, it indicates
that the painting is complete from artist point as well. Silence of the painting gave me chills and
felt like a suspicious night that something’s going to happen and no ones to bother them around.

Mood
I chose this painting because of its treatment of delicate gold and black on monochromatic
background. Painting suggests a silence of the night. It has a void background but when look
closely linear horizon is suggested. Three ladies having a good time together in the middle of the
night. A balcony is suggested in the foreground, where they are playing Chaupar. Chaupar is a
board game played mostly in Rajasthani region by kings, queens in the palaces. There are many
contrasting elements in the work. In the calm stillness of night, ladies have calm smile on their
faces looking into each other’s lotus petaled eyes; one can sense mischievousness in their minds.
With monochrome background there is bright use golden color, white for jewelry, and blue and
little brown for their clothing. It also depicts sensuousness as one can see legs of central figure
playing and the way swirl gown is been depicted. Moon is been suggested in the background
with golden hallow which is an element of night and beauty. Horizon is suggested by simply
scratches of thin black lines/hatching as if it is grassland. Artist has beautifully rendered Black

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lines to differentiate forms and to make it standout from the rest and gives the feel of the night
against monochromatic background.

Composition
In the composition one woman in the middle is lying on the bed and the other two one of them is
sitting on the floor holding her hand as if wants to share something and the other is bending and
serving a drink to the one lying on bed. Interestingly I thought that bed is a couch because of its
perspective and rendering of thin black lines as shadows of the body. But later I noticed the other
leg of the bed which made me clear that it’s a bed. Even the proportion of the lady bending next
to the bed also gave the illusion of a couch because it didn’t suggested depth.

Women lying down on the bed is a central figure and quite possible a princess. Though their
appearance is quite cluttered and exposed but ornamentation on their neck, leg and hands, henna
on their legs which could be the royal symbol. On the fore ground one pair of decorative shoes is
been rendered on the entrance of the balcony. Shoes could be social hierarchal symbol of the
society. So now one can relate feet of the central figure with henna and shoes in the foreground
suggests the central figure is a princess or higher authority. Central figure is also pampered with
the eatables in the half opened basket placed near the feet of the figure sitting on the ground and
hukka or bottle of drink, could be liquor, a golden plate. It is possible that the figure sitting on
the ground might be feeding the central figure. Lady bending near the bed and lady sitting on the
ground both of them are serving the central figure. Interestingly candles placed near the two ends
of the bed, illuminate the light only on the figural composition and shoes and rest of the
background is in darkness. Hence the figure is colored and rest of the background is minimal,
linear drawing.

Artist has painted their shoes as foremost element, then the 3 ladies with bed and the row of
colored plants sleeping at the back and the moon/stars in the background and rest as a minimum
linear detail. So this painting is Neem Qalam style, meaning Neem (soft color) style. Usually
such style can be seen in Bikaner, paintings with minimum color and maximum fine linear brush
work.

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Details of the painting

Clothing, Ornamentation & style

Clothing & ornamentation is one of the important and intricate elements to render in a miniature
painting. It depicts person’s status in the society. Artists’ takes great care to depict the nature of
the clothing whether it’s transparent or opaque, glossy or ordinary with patterns in it. It also
informs us the fashion people used to wear. Well in this picture all three women are care freely
dressed. Women lying down on bed has worn full sleeves blouse and turquoise blue gown with
light green pattern on it. Gown and blouse has a transparent feel. Other two ladies are wearing
similar outfit but pattern and color are different from the central figure. All three of them are
wearing transparent dupatta/scarf over their head.

There is no doubt that ladies belong to a royal court or palace. They are covered with jewelry
which enhances their beauty. Pearl necklaces, ear rings, nose rings and golden anklet, bangles
and necklace is been depicted.

Style of depicting faces, body posture is much idealized in a way. Bodies are very stiff and
suggest muscles with curvy line. Body misses proportion in relation to their heads. On their faces
they have suggested eyelids, and eyelashes which is the mark of beauty. Hair is treated

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beautifully with a black color linear rendering and on the edges they have suggested hatching so
it would look abrupt. Even with proportional flaws painting brings out the beauty, mood, and
sensuousness in the painting.

Treatment
Overall feel of the painting is minimal and delicate. Painting is made on smooth surface paper
which has small amount of patches. Artist has taken care of using brush strokes and treated each
area giving its appropriate importance with light and shade. One can see the original color of the
paper in the background from horizon till the bottom of the paper. Construction of the painting is
been pre decided and marked with steps or layers. Since it is water color, artist starts painting
from light transparent tonal washes to darker tones. There are three types of rendering used to
give its effect which are light washes and opaque tones, hatching and single lines.

First the light washes for background leaving the appropriate space to suggest light such as
clouds and sky, faces then second transparent layer of color used in clothing, bed, pillow then
opaque golden color to suggest specific appropriate forms such as utensils on the floor, bed’s
legs, parts of clothing, ornamentation, hallow behind the moon. Now to give depth between the
forms hatching is used with thin linear black lines. Hatching is used specifically to suggest
shadows which are carefully done without changing its thickness or intensity. Shadows are the
important and crucial element in this picture done with finest 00/single hair brush made from
animal hair. Floral pattern in the background is done from thin fine single brush stroke. For
eyes, hair and other detail a little thick brush work is used to enhance those particular forms.

Audience
One cannot say what this painting is intended for. After carefully analyzing this picture I can
draw two conclusions to whom this painting is intended for. First this piece is commissioned for
the patron’s viewing only. Three women playing chaupar is a subject which suggests the
activities in the palace during the mid night. Women are shown transparently dressed with drinks
and playing chaupar which is a game of gamble (of material value) invites male attention
towards it so to speak it meant for patron’s guests to show them their royalty and asset that
patrons had. Secondly in our above observation we saw that the figure lying on the bed belongs
to higher authority or princess. So this painting could be commissioned by princess herself to
depict their activities from the middle of the night. Since this act seems to be done without
anybody’s notice and it may not be allowed for women to play such game then it cannot be
commissioned by princess herself. So is the central figure is actually a princess or it is just a
depiction of rich women on display like fantasy? One cannot say the actual purpose to depict
this particular piece but I must say that artists have made this painting with such skills, it gives a
sense of royalty, sensuous and beauty.

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Ladies playing Chapur,

Bundi Rajasthan, 1726-30 A.D
Neem Qualam Style