Provincial Painting: Pahari School of Painting | History Optional for UPSC (Notes) PDF Download

The Pahari Schools of Painting

Pahari Schools of Painting Overview:

• Pahari means 'hilly or mountainous' in origin.
• The Pahari Schools of Painting includes towns like Basohli, Guler, Kangra, Kullu, Chamba, Mankot, Nurpur, Mandi, Bilaspur, and Jammu in the western Himalayas.
• These towns became centers of painting from the 17th to 19th century.

Evolution of Pahari Painting:

• Pahari painting began at Basohli with a bold and coarse style.
• It evolved into the Kangra School, known for its exquisite and sophisticated style, passing through a Guler or pre-Kangra phase.
• Unlike the distinct styles of Mughal, Deccani, and Rajasthani Schools, Pahari paintings are challenging to classify territorially.

Individualistic Characteristics:

• Each center, such as Basohli, Guler, and Kangra, developed individualistic characteristics in their paintings.
• These differences were seen in the depiction of nature, architecture, figures, facial features, costumes, and color preferences.
• However, these centers did not develop into independent schools with distinct styles due to a lack of dated material, colophons, and inscriptions.

Influences and Theories:

• The exact emergence of the Pahari School is unclear.
• Scholars suggest that Mughal and Rajasthani styles were known in the hills, possibly through Provincial Mughal style or family connections between hill Rajas and Rajasthani royal courts.
• The Basohli style is generally considered the earliest pictorial language.

Contribution of B. N. Goswamy:

• B. N. Goswamy, a significant scholar of Pahari painting, attributed the development of Pahari style from Basohli to Kangra to the genius of a family of artists.
• He emphasized the role of the Pandit Seu family in shaping Pahari paintings, arguing that regional identification could be misleading due to fluid political boundaries.

Evolution of Style:

• In the early 18th century, the style of the Seu family aligned with the Basohli idiom.
• However, by the mid-18th century, the style evolved through a pre-Kangra phase and matured into the Kangra style.
• This transformation and experimentation led to various stylistic idioms associated with different Pahari centers.

Impact of External Influences:

• The introduction of Mughal-style paintings into the Pahari kingdoms, possibly through rulers, artists, or traders, significantly impacted local artists.
• Scholars now challenge the idea that this change was solely due to the migration of artists from the Mughal atelier.
• According to Goswamy, it was the naturalism in these paintings that resonated with Pahari artists, influencing their painting language.

Emerging Themes:

• The new style included themes such as recording daily routines or important occasions from the lives of kings, creating new prototypes for the female form, and idealized faces.
• These themes gradually evolved into the Kangra phase of painting.

Major Pahari schools of painting

Basohli School

Basohli Paintings: Origins and Characteristics:

• Basohli, a region in the hill states, saw the emergence of a unique painting style under the rule of Kirpal Pal from 1678 to 1695.
• The Basohli style is known for its vibrant use of primary colors, especially warm yellows, and a distinctive treatment of vegetation.
• One of the most notable features of Basohli paintings is the use of small, shiny green particles from beetle wings to depict jewelry and simulate emeralds.
• Basohli paintings share aesthetic similarities with the Chaurpanchashika group of Western Indian paintings.

Popular Themes and Spread of Basohli Style:

• The most favored theme among Basohli painters was the Rasamanjari of Bhanu Datta, along with other themes like Bhagvata Purana and Ragamala.
• Portraits of local kings, their consorts, courtiers, and other figures were also common subjects.
• Basohli artist ateliers eventually spread to other hill states like Chamba and Kullu, leading to local variations of the Basohli style.

Guler-Kangra Phase and the Rise of Kangra Style:

• A new style known as the Guler-Kangra phase emerged between the 1690s and 1730s, marked by experimentation and improvisation.
• This phase laid the groundwork for the Kangra style of painting, which evolved from the Basohli tradition and spread to various hill states including Mankot, Nurpur, Kullu, Mandi, Bilaspur, Chamba, Guler, and Kangra.

Influence of the Ramayana and Kullu Royal Family:

• The Sanskrit epic Ramayana was a favored text among hill artists in Basohli and Kullu.
• A particular set of paintings, known as Shangri, was associated with a branch of the Kullu royal family who were patrons and former possessors of these works.

Depiction of Rama's Exile Preparations:

• In one of the Kullu artists' works, Rama is depicted preparing for his exile from Ayodhya along with his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana.
• The scene shows Rama maintaining equanimity as he gives away his possessions, with his brother Lakshmana piling up their belongings for distribution to the gathered crowd.
• Rama's last acts of generosity include giving away jewelry, sacrificial vessels, thousand cows, and other treasures.

Guler School

Transformation in Basohli Style and the Emergence of Guler-Kangra Phase (18th Century):

• In the early 18th century, the Basohli style underwent a significant transformation, marking the beginning of the Guler-Kangra phase. This phase emerged in Guler, a branch of the Kangra royal family, under the patronage of Raja Govardhan Chand (1744–1773).
• Guler artist Pandit Seu and his sons, Manak and Nainsukh, played a crucial role in this shift around 1730–40, introducing a new style known as the pre-Kangra or Guler-Kangra kalam. This style was more refined and elegant compared to the boldness of the Basohli style.
• While Manak initiated this style, his brother Nainsukh, who became the court painter of Raja Balwant Singh of Jasrota, significantly shaped the Guler School. The mature version of this style reached Kangra in the 1780s, evolving into the Kangra School, while Basohli offshoots continued in Chamba and Kullu.
• The descendants of Manak and Nainsukh contributed to the finest examples of Pahari paintings. Guler has a long tradition of painting, with evidence of artists working in Haripur-Guler since the reign of Dalip Singh (1695–1743). Portraits from this era, dating before the Guler-Kangra phase, highlight this tradition.
• Manak’s notable work includes a set of Gita Govinda painted in 1730 at Guler, retaining elements of the Basohli style, such as the lavish use of beetle’s wing casings.
• Nainsukh, who moved from Guler to Jasrota, initially worked for Mian Zoravar Singh and later became the greatest patron of Balwant Singh of Jasrota. Nainsukh’s portraits of Balwant Singh offer a unique visual record of the patron’s life, capturing various activities.
• Nainsukh’s expertise in individual portraiture became a defining feature of the later Pahari style. His palette consisted of delicate pastel shades with bold expanses of white or grey. Manaku also created numerous portraits of his patron Raja Govardhan Chand and his family.
• Prakash Chand, the successor of Govardhan Chand, shared his father’s passion for art and had the sons of Manaku and Nainsukh—Khushala, Fattu, and Gaudhu—as artists in his court.

Kangra School

Raja Sansar Chand and the Golden Era of Kangra Painting:

• Raja Sansar Chand (1775–1823) was a pivotal figure in the development of painting in the Kangra region. His patronage transformed the artistic landscape.
• When Prakash Chand of Guler faced financial difficulties and could no longer support his atelier, renowned artist Manaku and his sons joined Raja Sansar Chand's court.
• Raja Sansar Chand ascended to the throne at the young age of 10, following the restoration of the kingdom by his grandfather Ghamand Chand.
• Ghamand Chand, from the Katoch dynasty, had regained much territory after the decline of Mughal power and established Tira Sujanpur as the capital, along with an artists' atelier.
• Raja Sansar Chand established Kangra's supremacy over surrounding hill states, making Tira Sujanpur a vibrant center of painting. The early Kangra kalam phase was seen in Alampur, while the most mature works emerged from Nadaun.
• The Kangra style is renowned for its poetic and lyrical qualities, featuring delicate lines, vibrant colors, and intricate decorative details. A distinctive feature is the depiction of the female face with a straight nose, popular since the 1790s.
• Fattu, Purkhu, and Khushala were notable painters of this style. Under Raja Sansar Chand, the production of Kangra paintings surpassed that of other hill states.
• The style spread from Tira Sujanpur to Garhwal and Kashmir. However, painting activity waned around 1805 due to the Gurkha siege of Kangra Fort. After the Gurkhas were driven away in 1809, Raja Sansar Chand maintained his atelier, but the quality of work declined compared to the earlier peak.
• The series of Bhagvata Purana paintings by Kangra artists is considered one of their greatest achievements, marked by naturalism and dramatic scenes. The principal master was likely a descendant of Nainsukh.
• A notable painting from the series depicts a moment from Rasa Panchdhyayi, capturing the gopis' deep love and sorrow for Krishna. Their frantic search for him and the pain of separation are vividly portrayed as they address deer, trees, and creepers in their desperate quest for answers.

Chamba School

Typical Female Figures in Chamba Paintings:

• Chamba school paintings depict female figures with a warm, sensual, and charming beauty.
• The artists are skilled in handling and mixing colors, with a canvas space often dominated by red and blue hues.

Mandi

• The ferocious and wrathful forms of the Devi are portrayed in a larger-than-life manner, with a crude, mystified appearance and deep tones of red, black, and blue.

Other Pahari schools of painting

Garhwal School

• Connection to Guler School: Garhwal miniatures are similar to the Guler School in their detailed and sensitive depictions of landscapes.
• Typical Features: These paintings often feature overcast skies, with clouds and foggy landscapes, creating a moody and atmospheric effect.

Hindur or Nalagarh School

• Symbolism: The Pahari school is known for its evolved symbolism, using visual elements to convey deeper meanings.
• Narrative Details: These miniatures are rich in narrative details, telling stories through intricate scenes and characters.
• Realist Depictions: The human figures are depicted with realist features, characterized by sharp details and distinct expressions.
• Costumes: The figures often wear richly detailed costumes, reflecting the fashion and culture of the time.
• Everyday Life: Each figure is portrayed engaged in their own lifestyle activities, adding a sense of realism and daily life to the artworks.

Jammu School

• Figures depicted in the Jammu School's art are typically tall and slim, with distinctive physical features.
• The background often includes hills and strained depictions of nature, rendered in bright, light colors.

Patiala School

• Developed in the Punjab plains.
• Integral part of the Sikh School.
• Featured Sikh images and stereotypical costumes.
• Emphasized features like beards and moustaches.

Kashmir, Lahore, Mankot and other schools

• The surrounding minor centres where Pahari art developed following the conventions of the major art centres. There exists little difference in between these schools.