Miniature Painting India Folk Art on Paper

Miniature Painting are intricate, small sized, colorful handmade folk paintings, executed with detail with very delicate brushwork. The colors used in the miniatures are derived from minerals, vegetables, precious stones, indigo, conch shells, pure gold and silver. Some of the noted miniature schools were those of Mughals, Rajputs and Deccan. The Pichwais of Rajasthan are the least expensive, unless they are painted by a master artist and finished in gold. These paintings recreate historical episodes or tales of mythology in Schools that have come to be identified with the different kingdoms that merged in Rajasthan. Fine brush strokes signify miniatures from Jaipur and Udaipur, the Bundi and Kotah kalams are known for their scenes of battle and of shikar (hunts) while the Kishangarh School does portraits with Radha Krishna as the principal characters. Nathdwara, a place of pilgrimage close to Udaipur, furnishes paintings of Krishna in a characteristic style.