Indian painting

Indian painting has a very long history, although the seasonally humid Indian climate was difficult for the long-term preservation of paintings and there are far fewer survivals than of other forms of Indian art. The earliest Indian paintings were the rock paintings of pre-historic times, the petroglyphs as found in places like Bhimbetka, some of them from before 5500 BC. India's Buddhist literature is replete with examples of texts which describe palaces of kings and the aristocratic class embellished with paintings, but the paintings of the Ajanta Caves are the most significant of the few survivals. The paintings at Ajanta are not frescoes as they are painted with the aid of a binding agent, whereas in fresco the paintings are executed while the lime wash is still wet which, thereby acts as an intrinsic binding agent.

Smaller scale painting in manuscripts was probably also practised in this period, though the earliest survivals are from the medieval period. Mughal painting represented a fusion of the Persian miniature with older Indian traditions, and from the 17th century its style was diffused across Indian princely courts of all religions, each developing a local style. Company paintings were made for British clients under the British raj, which from the 19th century also introduced art schools along Western lines, leading to modern Indian painting, which is increasingly returning to its Indian routes.

Indian paintings provide an aesthetic continuum that extends from the early civilization to the present day. From being essentially religious in purpose in the beginning, Indian painting has evolved over the years to become a fusion of various cultures and traditions.

Sadanga of Indian painting


Around 1st century BC the Sadanga or Six Limbs of Indian Painting, were evolved, a series of canons laying down the main principles of the art. Vatsyayana, who lived during the third century A.D., enumerates these in his Kamasutra having extracted them from still more ancient works.
These 'Six Limbs' have been translated as follows:

• Rupabheda The knowledge of appearances.
• Pramanam Correct perception, measure and structure.
• Bhava Action of feelings on forms.
• Lavanya Yojanam Infusion of grace, artistic representation.
• Sadrisyam Similitude.
• Varnikabhanga Artistic manner of using the brush and colours. (Tagore.)

The subsequent development of painting by the Buddhists indicates that these ' Six Limbs ' were put into practice by Indian artists, and are the basic principles on which their art was founded.

Madhubani Paintings

Madhubani Paintings are an indigenous art form of a quaint village of Bihar. Here the women of the village maintain a matriarchal dominance over the craft. They paint figures from nature and myth on household and village walls to mark the seasonal festivals,for special events of the life-cycle, and when marriages are being arranged they prepare intricately designed wedding proposals , and the technique of painting is safely and zealously guarded by the women of this village, for it is to be passed on by a mother to her daughter.

Madhubani Paintings down the ages
Women of this village have been practicing this art form for centuries but it came to the forefront only in the 1960s, when a drought hit the area and people had to think of an alternative non agricultural source of earning. Selling these traditional paintings on handmade paper was the best alternative. And today they are one of the most celebrated Folk Arts of the world.

Themes of Madhubani Paintings
Most Madhubani Paintings mostly feature nature related themes. Mythological figures also find great prominence in these paintings. Hindu deities like Krishna, Rama, Siva, Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati are the most common subjects of Madhubani Painters.

Apart from deities the women also paint celestial subjects like Sun and Moon. The holy Tulsi plant is also regularly featured in these paintings. These paintings also act as a visual record of court scenes, wedding scenes and social happenings. Intricate floral, animal and bird motifs, and symmetrical geometric designs fill up the gaps. Since this intricate skill is handed down the generations, traditional designs and patterns are widely maintained .


Famous Paintings are those products of artistic expression, which touch our hearts and leave an indelible impact. Amongst the thousand of such work it is and will be difficult to select just a few, but ours is an earnest and sincere effort to pick those paintings and creators who have left a long lasting impression on our minds.

Be it Da Vinci's mysterious Mona Lisa, who has intrigued millions with her enchanting smile (and also because of the controversy about her being a self portrait of the artist in drag) or the melting watches of Dali, we want to discuss those paintings that have redefined the way we perceive ourselves.


The intention of listing these paintings is to not belittle the works of other deserving masters, but is to understand our perception of the art. The various schools of painting that the list encompasses are really noteworthy. Each one is different from the other; each painter fiercely individualistic, and yet so alike. Alike in thoughts; alike in their unbridled creativity and alike because they speak the same language-the language of art.
Tomorrow when our future generations looks back at us, they will not know us for our foray into the web world, nor for our ability to reach out to each other, anytime, anywhere with the help of mobile phones. They will probably ponder over these very paintings and rue the loss of a way of life.