Contents: Foreword/Kapila Vatsyayan. Preface. 1. Introduction. 2. The early Rajasthani paintings. 3. The gradual development of Mewar style of paintings. 4. Prominent art centres of Mewar. 5. Subjects executed by artists. 6. The eminent traditional artists of Mewar. 7. Tools and techniques used by traditional artists. Appendix. Biblography. Index.
From the foreword/Kapila Vatsyayan: The history of analytical studies of Rajasthan paintings, although short, is most interesting and varied. A.K. Coomaraswamy was the pioneer who drew attention to the seminal differences between Mughal paintings and Rajasthani and Pahari paintings. Since the appearance of the first two volumes of Rajput paintings by Coomaraswamy, many valuable works have appeared. The stalwarts Dr. Moti Chandra and Karl Khandalawala made valuable contributions by identifying new documents, bringing to light hitherto unknown material and also identifying salient features of the sub-schools of Rajasthani paintings. Understandably, the focus of this generation of scholars was on the establishment of chronology and the identification of features which would distinguish one sub-school from another. Gradually but surely we have come to recognise not only Rajasthani paintings but the sub-schools of Mewar, Bundi, Kota, Kishangarh, etc. etc. From amongst these schools, Mewar is easily the richest both in materials as also in the quality of craftsmanship and skill. From the last quarter of the 16th to the mid 17th century and early 18th century, there is a distinct evolution. Sahibdin represents the high watermark of the school in more ways than one. The illustrations of the Srimad Bhagvata in the Gita Govinda of Udaipur Museum and Oriental Institute have attracted attention of many scholars. Dr. Vashistha has been able to establish a chronology of the Mewar School, and Andrew Topsfield has analysed in depth the stylistic features. I have tried to relate the verbal and pictorial imagery of the school in the context of my studies of the Gita Govinda.
Dr. Vashistha has now opened the doors for a further understanding of the Mewar school of painting by throwing valuable new light on many other distinguished painters of the Mewar School. He has tapped hitherto unknown sources from the records of the Royal Palaces, Havelis and has drawn evidence from regional literature and other chronicler sources of Rajasthan. His work is perhaps the first of its kind in the field of identification of painters of the Mewar School (a task accomplished with great dexterity by Dr. B.N. Goswamy and Dr. Ohri in the field of Pahari miniatures). This is one dimension of the study of Indian miniature paintings which calls for further exploration, notwithstanding the fact that in the last essence it is the work of art and not the artist which remains eternal in the Indian artistic tradition. Dr. Vashistha has done well not to enter into the controversy of the tradition of anonymity of 'individuality' in Indian art. He has only laid bare the field of evidence. I am sure that this work will enrich our understanding the context of Mewar paintings."
"The book Art and Artists of Rajasthan gives a colourful interiority to the genius of early traditional artists and their works with reference to the Western Indian School of Painting, which flourished in Rajasthan, especially in art centres of Mewar, i.e., Chittorgarh, Dilwara, Ahad, Chawand, Deogarh, Nathdwara and Udaipur. In order to make a more comprehensive study, equally useful to art scholars, the author tries to produce a substantial understanding of the lives of the artists of mid 19th century and their antecedents upto 7th century. The seventh century of the era, with the inception of Western Indian School of Art, is marked for the great and unique tradition of the Indian art in Rajasthan.
"The book provides a deep insight and highlights the early art works and the artists known through contemporaneous literature, inscriptions and colophons of the paintings. The author also throws light on the provenance of 'Chaur-Panchashiska'-Bhagavata group of paintings of 16th century and attempts to trace the historiography and the exclusive role played by nearly one hundred, so-far-unknown artists of this region, with their artistic execution.
"This book also incorporates the findings on indigenous techniques of painting as well as the material which were used by the above artists and the colours prepared by local techniques. In the quest for knowledge, the book highligts the cultural heritage, rare documents and paintings preserved in private collections as well as different museums and art galleries of the world." (jacket)
[R.K. Vashistha is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur.]
