The Deccani Schools: Regional, Rajasthani, Malwa, Mewar, Marwar and Bundi for NET, IAS, State-SET (KSET, WBSET, MPSET, etc.), GATE, CUET, Olympiads etc.

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  • No pre Mughal painting from the Deccan are so far known to exist
  • It can safely be presumed that sophisticated schools of painting flourished there, making a significant contribution to the development of the Mughal style in North India.
  • Early centres of painting in the Deccan, during the th and th centuries were Ahmednagar, Bijapur, and Golconda.
  • In the Deccan, painting continued to develop independently of the Mughal style in the beginning.
  • However, later in the th and th centuries it was increasingly influenced by the Mughal style.

Regional School

Illustration: Regional School

Rajasthani School of Painting

  • Themes based on hindu tradition and mythology
  • Battle scenes, hunting scenes and riding scenes
  • Developed in phases

1st Phase 16th Century

  • Mural paintings-simple and on solid & dark background

2nd Phase Early 17th Century

  • Sophisicated paintings

3rd Phase 17th-18th Century

  • Portrait painting in rajasthani style
  • Mughal influence, miniature painting mainly
  • Representation of Radha-Krishna, nayak nayika and hunting scenes

Malwa School

  • Some of the important paintings executed in the Malwa style are a series of the Rasikapriya dated A. D.
  • A series of the Amaru Sataka painted in A. D.

Mewar School

Illustration: Mewar School
  • Also known as ragmala paintings
  • Paintings were based on Ragas
  • Paintings, music and poetry comes togather in these paintings
  • unique

Marwar School

Illustration: Marwar School
  • Theme Radha-Krishna
  • Liberal use of gold.
  • The face of male and female is similar.
  • Krishna is painted in blue.
  • Narrow eye brows
  • Lotus fatal shaped eyes.
  • Minimum Mughal influence
  • The miniatures are executed in a primitive and vigorous folk style and are completely uninfluenced by the Mughal style.
  • A large number of miniatures comprising portraits, court scenes, series of the Ragamala and the Baramasa, etc. were executed from the 17th to 19th centuries at several centres of painting like Pali, Jodhpur and Nagour etc. in Marwar.

Bundi School

Illustration: Bundi School
  • Around Aravalli range
  • Sky is painted in different colours-mostly-red colour ribbon is visible in the sky.
  • Local vegetation is painted in detail.
  • Themes scenes of pleasure-loving princess etc
  • Mostly miniature
  • Human face round
  • Sharp nose, narrow eye brows
  • The Mughal influence is visible in the refined drawing of the faces and an element of naturalism in the treatment of the trees.
  • The text is written in black against yellow background on the top.