Rajasthani paintings (Rajput Paintings):
(i) 16th-18th Century CE
(ii) Influences: Jaina and Mughal schools, contemporary literature and music.
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(iii) Nature: Miniatures, decorative and natural with human figures, playing insignificant role.
(iv) Themes: Love (Radha-Krishna cult), scenes from epics, myths and legends.
(v) Special features: Ragmalas (Paintings personifying the ragas) and Baramasa (seasons portraiture).
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(vi) Sub styles Mewar, Amber, Bundi, Gujarat, Jodhpur, Malwa, Jaipur, Kishangarh differs in the matters of delineation of faces and modes of dressing.
They are miniatures resulting from the amalgamation of Jaina school with Mughal style and influenced by contemporary literature and music.
Image Source: 185.26.182.219/Rqae5eb53b-c103-49e4-a363-9cb05f81161d
They are decorative (in composition and colour scheme) and intimately natural. The central theme of love is represented by Radha-Krishna legend.
Scenes from the epics and mythologies and depiction of traditional tunes, Ragmala and season portraiture, Baramasa etc., are other features.
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Ragmala Paintings:
Part of Rajput paintings attempting at a unique synthesis, they are symbolic representation of musical mode (Ragas and Raginis).
This is done by personifying and associating the modes with particular scenes from Hindu Mythology, particularly the romantic devotional literature related to Krishna legends.
The Ragamala (Garland of the Musical modes) depicts ragas and raginis in their emotive settings, usually in a series of thirty-six scenes.
Each melodic root form is symbolically assigned a specific colour, which remains constant in all compositions. The function and qualities of melodic roots determined the mood of their representation.