Material Culture (Painting Traditions)

1.Prehistoric Painting

• Bhimbetka Rock Shelters: Location, Discovery and Heritage StatusImportance 5/5
  Where are the Bhimbetka rock shelters (state, hills, nearest big city)? Remember who discovered them and when, how many shelters have been identified and how many hold paintings, and the year of the UNESCO World Heritage listing.
• Periods of Bhimbetka PaintingImportance 3/5
  Remember the main periods of Bhimbetka painting in order, especially the first three, with the main subjects and style of each. Understand how the shift from animals to humans to chariots and religious symbols follows changes in the life of the people who painted.
• Antiquity, Name and Significance of BhimbetkaImportance 3/5
  Why does Bhimbetka matter for the antiquity and continuity of Indian art? Understand how the layers of paintings show long, continuous use of the site, and how it is compared with Lascaux in France. Where does the name come from, and is it an archaeological term or a cultural one?
• Natural Pigments of Prehistoric PaintingImportance 3/5
  Which natural materials gave the red, yellow, white, black and green colours at Bhimbetka? Remember which rock, mineral or other material gave each colour, and why these pigments lasted so long.
• Tools, Binders and SuperimpositionImportance 2/5
  How was paint applied at Bhimbetka, and was the rock surface prepared first? Remember the tools and the binders used. Understand what repeated painting over the same rock faces suggests about how these sites were regarded.
• Bhimbetka vs Harappan Visual CultureImportance 2/5
  Be able to compare Bhimbetka painting with Harappan visual culture on medium, scale, purpose and style of figures. Pay special attention to continuity: which of the two is seen as an ancestor of later folk and tribal painting, and which has no confirmed successor?

2.Early Historical and Classical Mural Traditions

• Vishnudharmottara Purana and the ChitrasutraImportance 3/5
  What is the Vishnudharmottara Purana, in which period was it composed, and which manual on painting does it contain? Understand its idea that painting, sculpture and dance are linked, and what this says about how Indian tradition saw the arts.
• Shadanga: Six Limbs of PaintingImportance 4/5
  Which text tradition lists the six limbs (Shadanga) of painting? Remember all six Sanskrit terms with a basic meaning for each. Be ready to use them as a framework for judging a painting tradition.
• Jogimara and Sitabenga CavesImportance 3/5
  Where are the Jogimara and Sitabenga caves? Remember why Jogimara is called early and special (its inscription and what it records about the painter). What was Sitabenga used for, and which of the two caves has the paintings?
• Bagh Cave PaintingsImportance 4/5UPSC 2010, 2026
  Which state and river are linked with the Bagh caves, and why are they often wrongly placed in Maharashtra? Remember the subjects, patronage and technique, the nickname linking Bagh to Ajanta, their present condition, and the copies kept in New Delhi.
• Badami Cave PaintingsImportance 2/5
  Where are the Badami paintings, and which dynasty's patronage do they show? Remember the two main panels and how the figures look different from Ajanta's.
• Sittannavasal PaintingsImportance 4/5
  Where is Sittannavasal, and to which religion does the cave complex belong? Remember the lotus-pond ceiling and its subjects, and the style. Be able to compare these paintings with the Buddhist paintings of Ajanta.
• Ellora Mural RemainsImportance 1/5
  Which Ellora caves still keep traces of paint? Remember the Kailasanatha temple (Cave 16), its dynasty and themes, and the Buddhist caves with painted fragments.
• True Fresco vs the Ajanta TechniqueImportance 4/5
  How does true fresco (buon fresco) differ from the Ajanta technique? Compare them on the state of the plaster, how the colour binds, whether corrections are possible, and durability. Is Ajanta painting true fresco? Know the correct term for it.

3.Ajanta Paintings

• Two Phases of Ajanta PaintingImportance 5/5
  Ajanta was painted in two phases. For each, remember the period, the ruling dynasty, the Buddhist sect, the caves, and whether the Buddha is shown in symbols or in human form. Understand the long gap between the phases.
• Harishena's Patronage, Abandonment and RediscoveryImportance 2/5
  How long did the Vakataka painting programme at Ajanta last, and why did it stop? Was it slow growth over a long time, or a short period of work backed by the court? Who rediscovered the caves, in which year, and in what setting?
• Surface Preparation and Painting Sequence at AjantaImportance 2/5
  Remember the layers of plaster laid on the rock wall in order, and the white coat that formed the painting surface. Learn the steps of painting: outline, flat colour, shading, highlights and the final coat. Why do the paintings have a soft shine?
• Ajanta Pigments and Lapis LazuliImportance 3/5
  Which pigments were used at Ajanta, and were any of them synthetic? Where did the blue lapis lazuli come from? Be able to explain what its presence shows about trade and the resources of the patrons.
• Jataka Tales and the Bodhisattva IdealImportance 3/5
  What are the Jataka tales, how many are counted as canonical, and at which sites do they appear in art? What is a Bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism? Understand how this ideal differs from the earlier ideal of personal liberation.
• Bodhisattva Padmapani (Cave 1)Importance 5/5UPSC 1997, 2017, 2018
  Who is Padmapani, what does his name mean, and what does he hold? Remember his posture and the quality shown on his face, each with its Sanskrit term. Understand what the painting says about the Mahayana ideal, and be clear about which cave it is in.
• Bodhisattva Vajrapani (Cave 1)Importance 2/5
  Where is Vajrapani painted, what does he hold, and what does his name mean? Understand how he differs from Padmapani in mood, and what each of the two stands for.
• Mahajanaka Jataka (Cave 1)Importance 2/5
  What story does the Mahajanaka Jataka panel tell? Remember the part played by the queen Sivali and the scene of confrontation. What makes this composition notable?
• Other Jataka Narratives and Scenes at AjantaImportance 3/5
  Match each scene with its cave and subject: the Simhala, Vishvantara and Shaddanta Jatakas, the Flying Apsaras and the Dark Princess. Remember one identifying point for each scene.
• Stylistic Features of Ajanta PaintingImportance 3/5UPSC 2013
  Understand the features of Ajanta style: line, shading (and why it is not classical chiaroscuro), the way space and scenes are arranged, and expression. Is single-point perspective used in Ajanta? Be able to explain how a continuous narrative works.
• Ajanta vs BaghImportance 3/5
  How do Ajanta and Bagh differ in location, patronage, subject matter, condition and colour? How are their techniques related? Be clear about this pair, as they are easily confused in questions on location and content.

4.Manuscript Painting Traditions

• Pala Manuscripts: Patronage, Texts, Style and MaterialsImportance 4/5
  Which dynasty and which monastic centres produced Pala manuscripts, and which texts did they illustrate? Remember the style (background, gold, figure treatment) and how palm leaf was prepared as the support.
• Spread of Pala Art Across AsiaImportance 3/5
  Which regions received Pala manuscripts, and who carried them? Be able to explain why Pala art is seen as the model for Buddhist manuscript painting in the region, and how it links to Tibetan thangka painting.
• Jain Manuscripts: Patrons, Texts and the Shift to PaperImportance 2/5
  Who commissioned Western Indian manuscripts, and in which regions? Remember the main texts illustrated (the Kalpasutra and the Kalakacharya Katha). Understand why the move from palm leaf to paper allowed bigger pictures.
• Apabhramsha Style of the Western Indian SchoolImportance 4/5
  Where does the name Apabhramsha come from? Remember the features of the style: figures, colours and the lack of depth. Which single drawing feature is treated as the surest way to recognise this school? Understand why.
• Chaurapanchasika StyleImportance 3/5
  What is the Chaurapanchasika, and who is its poet? Remember the style (colour, line, figures). Be able to explain how this style marks a move from religious manuscripts to secular court texts, and which Rajput schools are linked to it.
• Nimat NamaImportance 2/5
  What kind of text is the Nimat Nama? Remember the court where it was made, the rulers behind it and the approximate date. Why is it treated as a transitional work before the Mughal period?

5.Mughal Painting

• Timurid and Safavid Roots of Mughal PaintingImportance 2/5
  From which two Persian schools did Mughal painting grow? Understand what the Timurid school was a mix of, and which features Mughal painting inherited from it.
• Humayun and the Two Persian MastersImportance 4/5
  At whose court did Humayun see Persian painting during his exile? Remember the two masters he brought to India, the title earned by one of them, and the project they supervised.
• HamzanamaImportance 4/5
  What is the subject of the Hamzanama? Remember how many paintings it held and the unusual material they were painted on. Under which emperor was it commissioned, and over roughly which years was it painted?
• The Kitabkhana and the Making of the Mughal StyleImportance 4/5
  What was the Kitabkhana, and about how many painters worked there? Understand how master, specialists and colourists shared one painting. Be able to explain how Persian and Indian traditions blended there into the Mughal style.
• Character of Akbar-Period PaintingImportance 2/5
  Understand the features of Akbar-period painting: format, colour, composition and subjects. How is it different from the later work of Jahangir's period?
• Illustrated Manuscripts of Akbar's ReignImportance 3/5
  Remember the subject of each illustrated work: the Tuti-Nama, Akbarnama, Razmnama, Baburnama and Khamsa of Nizami. Understand what the Razmnama shows about Akbar's attitude to Hindu epics.
• Jahangir as Connoisseur (Tuzuk-i-Jahangiri)Importance 3/5UPSC 1996
  What is the Tuzuk-i-Jahangiri, and what does it show about Jahangir's eye for painting? Could he tell which painter had worked on a picture? How were his priorities different from Akbar's?
• Portraiture Under JahangirImportance 3/5UPSC 2019
  Why were portraits commissioned at Jahangir's court, and what mattered more, likeness or idealisation? Remember the usual views used. What is the imperial nimbus, where did the idea come from, and what did it claim?
• Natural History Painting and Ustad MansurImportance 4/5
  What was Ustad Mansur's speciality, and what title did Jahangir give him? Remember his best-known studies (the zebra, the turkey and the Siberian crane). Be careful not to confuse his title with that of Abul Hasan.
• European Influence on Mughal PaintingImportance 3/5
  Through whom did European prints and paintings reach the Mughal court? Remember the three European elements that Mughal painters took up.
• Shah Jahan's Painting, the Padshahnama and the HashiyaImportance 2/5
  How does Shah Jahan's painting compare with that of Akbar and Jahangir? What is the Padshahnama, and what does it contain? What is the hashiya, and under which emperor was it most elaborate?
• Aurangzeb's Withdrawal of Patronage and Its ConsequencesImportance 4/5
  Why did Aurangzeb withdraw patronage from painting, and what happened to the Kitabkhana? Be able to explain, step by step, where the artists went and how this helped regional schools grow.
• Daswanth and BasawanImportance 4/5
  For each painter, remember his background, speciality and key work. Which one brought in European shading and perspective? Which one was Akbar's own discovery, and how did his life end?
• Abul Hasan, Bishandas and GovardhanImportance 3/5
  Remember each painter's speciality and known work. Which of them was sent to Persia, and for what task? What title did Jahangir give Abul Hasan, and how does it differ from Mansur's?

6.Deccani Painting

• Deccan Sultanates and the Centres of Deccani PaintingImportance 2/5
  Which break-up gave rise to the Deccan Sultanates, and which five states followed? Remember the three main centres of painting and the later centre at Hyderabad. Understand how the Deccan's position and trade shaped its style.
• Stylistic Features of Deccani PaintingImportance 2/5
  Understand the features of Deccani style: its colours and night scenes, Persian influence, South Indian (Vijayanagara) elements, and dreamlike settings.
• Deccani vs Mughal PaintingImportance 3/5
  How do Deccani and Mughal painting differ in background colour, figures, Persian influence, palette, subjects and patronage? Is Deccani painting just a provincial form of Mughal painting? Be able to explain your answer.
• Ahmadnagar SchoolImportance 2/5
  Remember the period and influences of the Ahmadnagar school. Which text is the earliest known illustrated Deccani work?
• Bijapur School and Ibrahim Adil Shah IIImportance 4/5UPSC 2003
  Who was Ibrahim Adil Shah II, and what made him an unusual patron? What kind of work is the Kitab-i-Nauras? Remember the portraits of Chand Bibi, the figure style of Bijapur, and two well-known Bijapur works: the Nujum-ul-Ulum and the Yogini with a myna bird.
• Golconda and Hyderabad SchoolsImportance 2/5
  Remember the features of the Golconda school. How did Hyderabad continue this tradition under the Nizams, and what changed?

7.Rajput Painting

• Origins of Rajput PaintingImportance 2/5
  When and where did Rajput painting begin? Understand the two developments that shaped it: Mughal influence after Akbar's dealings with the Rajput chiefs, and the later spread of Mughal artists.
• Devotional Character and Texts of Rajput PaintingImportance 3/5
  How does Rajput painting differ from Mughal painting in spirit and link to the Bhakti movement? Remember the main texts illustrated. Understand why Krishna and Radha are so central a subject.
• Ragamala PaintingsImportance 4/5
  What does Ragamala mean? Understand what each raga carries in a painting (mood, time of day, season and imagery), and how this joins music, poetry and painting.
• Baramasa and Nayika-bhedaImportance 3/5
  What is Baramasa, and what poetic convention does it follow? What is Nayika-bheda, and from which tradition does it come? Remember what each term means.
• Stylistic Features of Rajput PaintingImportance 2/5
  Understand the features of Rajput style: line, colour fields and landscape. How does it compare with Mughal and Pahari painting?
• Mewar SchoolImportance 3/5
  Why is Mewar seen as the oldest and most conservative Rajput school? Remember its main texts, its colours and settings. Which set is the earliest dated Mewar painting, and who painted it? Remember its key artist, Sahibdin, with his best-known works.
• Marwar SchoolImportance 2/5
  Remember the figure type of Marwar painting, its Mughal influence compared with Mewar, its sub-centres, and the imagery it favoured.
• Bundi SchoolImportance 3/5
  Remember what marks Bundi painting: setting, sky, figures and motifs. For which type of painting is it especially celebrated?
• Kota SchoolImportance 3/5
  Which clan links Kota with Bundi? What subjects mark Kota out from Bundi, and which animals appear most? Be able to tell the two schools apart.
• Bikaner SchoolImportance 2/5
  Why did Bikaner painting show strong Mughal influence, and which rulers were behind it? Remember its refined technique.
• Kishangarh School and Bani ThaniImportance 5/5UPSC 2018
  Remember four linked names: Kishangarh, Bani Thani, the painter, and the label 'Indian Mona Lisa'. What are the facial features of the Kishangarh woman, and how was the royal patron linked to Bani Thani? Understand how one figure is both a portrait and an image of Radha. When did Bani Thani appear on an Indian postage stamp?
• Nathdwara School and PichwaiImportance 4/5
  Where is Nathdwara, and which deity does its temple honour? What does 'pichwai' mean, and how is it used in worship through the festival cycle? Remember its visual features. Understand why it is treated as an object of worship, not only a painting.
• Phad PaintingImportance 4/5
  Which region does Phad come from, and which folk heroes does it show? Understand how the Bhopa performs with the scroll and a lamp. How does Phad differ from Pichwai, with which it is often confused?

8.Pahari Painting

• Meaning of Pahari and the Hill StatesImportance 2/5
  What does 'Pahari' mean? Remember the main hill kingdoms whose painting it covers, and why their art stayed so local.
• Mughal Influence and the Mature Pahari StyleImportance 3/5
  Was the mature Pahari style caused by Mughal-trained artists moving to the hill courts, as older writers held? Understand why most scholars now dispute this, and whose family of artists they credit instead. In which schools does the mature style show most?
• Basohli SchoolImportance 4/5
  Remember the period, colours and eyes of Basohli painting. How did Basohli painters use beetle wings, and what did they imitate? Which texts did it illustrate, including Bhanudatta's Rasamanjari?
• Guler School and the Family of Pandit SeuImportance 2/5
  Why is Guler called a transitional school? Understand what Pandit Seu and his sons changed in Pahari painting, moving from the intensity of Basohli towards naturalism.
• NainsukhImportance 3/5
  Who was Nainsukh, and to which family of artists did he belong? Why is he ranked so high among Indian portrait painters? Who was his chief patron at Jasrota, and what do his portraits of that patron record?
• Kangra School and the Gita GovindaImportance 4/5
  Remember the period and mood of Kangra painting, with its line, colours, figures and landscape. Which text is most closely tied to this school? Remember who composed it and what it describes.
• Sansar Chand, Purkhu and the Decline of KangraImportance 3/5
  Who was Sansar Chand, and what was his role? Who was Purkhu? Be able to explain how a defeat in 1806 led to the end of Kangra's classical phase.
• Chamba, Mandi and Bilaspur SchoolsImportance 2/5
  Remember one identifying point for each of Chamba, Mandi and Bilaspur. What is the Chamba rumal, and which deity is central in Mandi?
• Basohli vs KangraImportance 3/5
  Compare Basohli and Kangra on period, mood, palette, line, figures, landscape, main text, patron and artist. Be clear which features belong to which school.

9.Company School, Tanjore, and Kalighat Painting

• Company School: Context, Style and ThemesImportance 4/5
  What new kind of patronage grew as Company rule spread? Understand why this art is described as made for Europeans by Indians, and how it mixed Indian and European methods. Remember the main themes, and why these pictures are called visual ethnography.
• Centres of Company PaintingImportance 3/5
  Remember the character of each centre: Calcutta (Murshidabad), Patna, Delhi and Lucknow, and Tanjore. How is Patna painting different from the Murshidabad style?
• Tanjore Painting: Tradition, Technique and IconographyImportance 4/5
  Which rulers are linked with Tanjore painting, and what are its older roots? Remember the order of the technique, including the gold foil and the stones. Which deities are shown, and how are they placed in the picture?
• Tanjore Painting vs Company SchoolImportance 2/5
  How do Tanjore painting and Company School painting differ in tradition, technique, subjects and patronage? Be careful with where each tradition was found.
• Kalighat Painting: Origins, Artists and StyleImportance 4/5UPSC 1995
  Where and why did Kalighat painting begin? Who made it, for whom, and on what kind of paper? Understand its bold and fast style and its women figures. Was it court art or commercial art?
• Kalighat Satire and Its LegacyImportance 3/5
  What did Kalighat painters satirise from the 1860s, and which social types were their targets? Understand why this art is seen as a bridge to modern Indian art, and how it influenced Jamini Roy.

10.Raja Ravi Varma

• Ravi Varma's Life, Training and PatronsImportance 2/5
  Remember Ravi Varma's dates and family background, how he learned European academic painting, and which princely rulers backed him. How did his portraits join European likeness with Indian royal imagery?
• Ravi Varma's Medium and Academic RealismImportance 4/5
  Which medium did Ravi Varma use, and why was it new in Indian painting? Be able to compare it with earlier media such as gouache and tempera. Understand what it meant to show gods as real, believable people.
• Famous Works of Ravi VarmaImportance 2/5
  Remember the subjects of his best-known works, such as Shakuntala, Damayanti, There Comes Papa, Indulekha and Sankarabharanam, and the mythological goddesses he painted. Match other well-known works to their epic or subject: Sita Haran, Jatayu Vadham, Harishchandra, Bhishma, and Duryodhana in the palace hall.
• Lithographic Press, Oleographs and Calendar ArtImportance 4/5
  Which press did Ravi Varma set up, and in which year and place? What is an oleograph? Be able to explain how mass printing changed how ordinary people saw Hindu deities, and how it shaped calendar and poster art.
• Bengal School Critique and the Counter-ArgumentImportance 3/5
  Who criticised Ravi Varma, and why? What did his defenders say? Be able to explain both sides, and how his work helped bring about the Bengal School.

11.Bengal School and Indian Renaissance Painting

• Bengal School as a Swadeshi ResponseImportance 4/5
  Understand the link between the Bengal School and the Swadeshi movement, and why the school reacted against Ravi Varma's style. Was Swadeshi the setting in which the school arose, or something that came after it?
• E.B. Havell and the Calcutta School of ArtImportance 3/5
  What post did Havell hold, and for how long? Remember what he removed from the school and what he brought in. How did his work with Abanindranath Tagore lay the base of the Bengal School?
• Okakura Kakuzo and "Asia Is One"Importance 3/5
  Who was Okakura Kakuzo, and when did he visit India? Understand what technique he brought, and what the idea 'Asia is One' meant for the Bengal School.
• Abanindranath Tagore as Founder of the Bengal SchoolImportance 4/5UPSC 1999
  How was Abanindranath related to Rabindranath Tagore? Remember what he rejected and the four sources he drew on. How are his artistic identity and Gaganendranath's different?
• The Wash TechniqueImportance 3/5
  What is the wash technique, and how is it done? Understand how its effect differs from the opaque colour of miniatures. Who is credited with bringing it into the Bengal School?
• Bharat Mata (1905)Importance 5/5
  What event and movement inspired Bharat Mata? Remember what the four-armed figure holds and what each object stands for. Understand why its mood is gentle and sorrowful.
• Gaganendranath TagoreImportance 3/5
  Who was Gaganendranath, and how was he related to Abanindranath? Remember his Cubist experiments and his cartoons, and what makes him different from Abanindranath.
• Nandalal BoseImportance 5/5
  Remember Nandalal Bose's teacher, the institution he led, and the style he defined. What was his link with the Constitution of India? Remember his work for Congress sessions and his influences.
• Jamini RoyImportance 3/5
  Understand how Jamini Roy broke from the Bengal School and which sources he turned to. Why is he called both a product and a critic of the school?
• Rabindranath Tagore as a PainterImportance 2/5
  When did Rabindranath Tagore begin painting seriously? Remember the character of his work. Did he belong to any school?
• Asit Kumar HaldarImportance 1/5
  Remember which generation of the Bengal School Asit Kumar Haldar belonged to, and what kind of work he is known for.
• Amrita Sher-Gil: Life, Training and Major WorksImportance 4/5UPSC 2009
  Remember Amrita Sher-Gil's birthplace and parents, where she trained, and when she returned to India and died. Which works show her Indian turn: Three Girls, Bride's Toilet and Ancient Storyteller?
• Sher-Gil's Critique of the Bengal School and the Legal Status of Her WorksImportance 4/5
  What did Sher-Gil criticise in the Bengal School? What legal status do her works have in India, under which law, and what does it prevent? Understand why she is seen as a bridge to the Progressive Artists' Group.

12.Modern Indian Painting — Post-Independence

• Founding, Aims and Members of the PAGImportance 4/5
  When and where was the PAG founded? Remember its six founders and the later members. How were its aims different from those of the Bengal School, and which European movements did its artists use?
• F.N. SouzaImportance 2/5
  Remember Souza's background and what marks his expressionist style.
• S.H. Raza and the BinduImportance 3/5
  Where did Raza move in 1950? What is the Bindu in his work, and which ideas does it join? Remember the character of his late geometric paintings.
• M.F. HusainImportance 3/5
  By what label is Husain known? Remember his style, his well-known series, and the controversy that led him to live abroad.
• Tyeb Mehta and Akbar PadamseeImportance 2/5
  What is one identifying feature of each artist? Remember the kind of composition and the series Mehta is known for, and the term Padamsee used for his landscapes.
• K.G. SubramanyanImportance 2/5
  Where did K.G. Subramanyan teach? Remember the range of his work and why his writing matters as much as his painting.
• Krishen Khanna and Ram KumarImportance 1/5
  Which theme marks Krishen Khanna's work? What are Ram Kumar's Banaras works, and how did his art change towards abstraction?

13.Folk and Tribal Painting Traditions

• Folk and Tribal Painting as a Living TraditionImportance 2/5
  Understand how folk and tribal painting grows from community life and ritual. How does it differ from court art in patronage and purpose?
• GI Tags and Heritage Recognition of Folk PaintingsImportance 3/5
  Which of the major folk traditions hold GI tags? Are Kalamkari's two styles tagged together or separately? Is any of these painting traditions on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list, and how does a GI tag differ from a UNESCO inscription?
• Madhubani: Region, Painters and the 1967 ShiftImportance 3/5UPSC 2009
  Which region is Madhubani painting from, and what is its link with Sita? Who painted it, and on which surfaces? What changed in 1967? Remember some well-known artists.
• Madhubani Style, Subjects and Sub-StylesImportance 4/5
  Remember the features of Madhubani style: filling of space, outline, natural colours and subjects. What are the sub-styles (Bharni, Kachni, Tantric and Godna/Kohbar)? Be able to explain how caste shaped them.
• Warli PaintingImportance 4/5
  Which community and region is Warli painting from? Who paints, and for what occasions? Remember its colours, pigment and support, its figure shapes and subjects, and the artist Jivya Soma Mashe.
• Pattachitra (Odisha and Bengal)Importance 4/5
  What do the words 'patta' and 'chitra' mean? Remember the Jagannath link, the Chitrakar painters, themes, style and how the cloth is prepared. How does the Bengal scroll form differ from Odisha cloth painting?
• Gond PaintingImportance 4/5
  Which community and states is Gond painting linked to, and how was it used traditionally? What fills the forms in Gond painting instead of flat colour, and what does it express? Remember Jangarh Singh Shyam, Swaminathan and Roopankar.
• Kalamkari: Srikalahasti and Machilipatnam StylesImportance 5/5UPSC 2015
  What does 'Kalamkari' mean? Be able to tell the two styles apart by method, subjects and setting. Why is there a Persian element in one of them?
• Thangka PaintingImportance 3/5
  What is a thangka, and how is it used? Remember where it is painted in India, its style and subjects. Understand how its iconography links to the Pala tradition.

14.Materials, Techniques and Stylistic Synthesis

• Painting Supports Across TraditionsImportance 2/5
  Match each painting support to the traditions that used it and to its key property: rock, palm leaf, handmade paper, cloth or canvas, wooden board, plaster wall and mill-made paper.
• Pigments and Binding AgentsImportance 2/5
  For each major pigment (ochre, lapis lazuli, indigo, vermilion, orpiment, shell gold, kaolin or lime, lamp black, vegetable dyes), remember its source, colour and traditions. Which binders were used, and where?
• Techniques Across Traditions (Including Gouache)Importance 3/5
  Match each technique to its traditions: tempera or fresco-secco, gouache, wash, oil, oleography and rock pigment application. What makes gouache opaque and open to correction? Which traditions used gold foil, and how is shell gold different from it?
• Patronage Transitions in Indian PaintingImportance 3/5
  Be able to explain how the patron and the kind of art changed across eight phases, from prehistoric community to the modern gallery market. Be careful with which dynasties and traditions are placed in which phase.
• Synthesis of the Major Painting TraditionsImportance 2/5
  For each major tradition, from prehistoric to the folk and tribal, remember the period, medium, patron, key theme and visual identifier. Use the order in which the traditions arose as a timeline. Dates may differ between sources, so know the broad order.

1. 1.

   With reference to the famous Ajanta painting of Bodhisattva Padmapani, which one of the following is correct?

   1. AIt is in Cave 1, and the figure holds a blue lotus in a graceful tribhanga posture
   2. BIt is in Cave 17, and the figure holds a blue lotus in a graceful tribhanga posture
   3. CIt is in Cave 1, and the figure holds a vajra (thunderbolt) in a graceful tribhanga posture
   4. DIt is in Cave 17, and the figure holds a vajra (thunderbolt) in a graceful tribhanga posture
2. 2.

   Consider the following statements about the painting phases at Ajanta:
   1. The first phase was patronised by the Satavahana dynasty and showed the Buddha only through symbols.
   2. The second phase, mainly under Harishena of the Vakataka dynasty, showed the Buddha in full human form.
   3. The two phases followed each other within a few decades.
   How many of the above statements are correct?

   1. AOnly one
   2. BOnly two
   3. CAll three
   4. DNone
3. 3.

   Consider the following statements about the Kishangarh school of painting:
   1. It is associated with the poet-king Raja Sawant Singh, who wrote under the pen name Nagari Das.
   2. The painting 'Bani Thani' is attributed to the court artist Nihal Chand.
   3. Its women are drawn with small, round eyes and a short, flat neck.
   Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

   1. A2 and 3 only
   2. B1 and 3 only
   3. C1 and 2 only
   4. D1, 2 and 3
4. 4.

   Consider the following statements about the painting 'Bharat Mata' by Abanindranath Tagore:
   1. It was painted in response to the Non-Cooperation Movement of 1920.
   2. The four-armed figure holds a sheaf of grain, a piece of white cloth, a book and a garland, and its mood is gentle and sorrowful.
   Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

   1. A1 only
   2. B2 only
   3. CBoth 1 and 2
   4. DNeither 1 nor 2
5. 5.

   Consider the following statements about the Bagh cave paintings:
   1. Their subject matter is predominantly secular, with court scenes, musicians and dancers.
   2. The caves are located in Maharashtra, close to Ajanta.
   3. They are attributed to Gupta-period patronage and use the same tempera-like technique on lime plaster as Ajanta.
   Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

   1. A1 and 2 only
   2. B2 and 3 only
   3. C3 only
   4. D1 and 3 only
6. 6.

   Consider the following statements about Mughal painting under Aurangzeb:
   1. After Aurangzeb withdrew imperial patronage, the Kitabkhana was effectively closed and court painters dispersed to Rajput, Pahari and Deccan courts.
   2. The hashiya, the decorated border of a Mughal miniature, reached its most elaborate development in his reign.
   Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

   1. A1 only
   2. B2 only
   3. CBoth 1 and 2
   4. DNeither 1 nor 2
7. 7.

   Consider the following statements about Mughal painters:
   1. Jahangir awarded Ustad Mansur the title Nadir-ul-Asr.
   2. Abul Hasan was also given the title Nadir-ul-Asr by Jahangir.
   3. Jahangir sent Bishandas to Persia to paint the likeness of Shah Abbas I.
   4. Daswanth, the son of a palanquin bearer, was Akbar's own discovery.
   How many of the above statements are correct?

   1. AOnly one
   2. BOnly two
   3. COnly three
   4. DAll four
8. 8.

   Consider the following statements about Pahari painting:
   1. Basohli painting uses a cool, soft and muted palette of pale blue, green and ivory.
   2. The Gita Govinda is regarded as the supreme text of Kangra painting.
   3. Kangra landscapes are minimal and are rendered as flat colour zones.
   How many of the above statements are correct?

   1. AOnly one
   2. BOnly two
   3. CAll three
   4. DNone
9. 9.

   Consider the following statements about folk and tribal paintings:
   1. Warli paintings are executed in dark pigment on a white ground.
   2. In Gond painting, forms are filled with flat colour rather than with patterns of dots, dashes and lines.
   3. In Madhubani painting, the Kachni style of fine line hatching was painted by Brahmin families.
   How many of the above statements are correct?

   1. AOnly one
   2. BOnly two
   3. CAll three
   4. DNone
10. 10.

    Consider the following pairs:

    Tradition	Distinguishing feature
    1. Kota school	Dark forest settings, yellow moonlit skies and celebrated Ragamala paintings
    2. Phad	Scroll paintings from the Shahpura region showing the folk hero Pabuji
    3. Pichwai	Large cloth backdrops for the Srinathji temple at Nathdwara

    Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?

    1. A1 and 2 only
    2. B2 and 3 only
    3. C1 and 3 only
    4. D1, 2 and 3
11. 11.

    Consider the following pairs:

    Illustrated work	Subject
    1. Razmnama	Persian translation of the Mahabharata commissioned by Akbar
    2. Akbarnama	Memoirs of Babur
    3. Khamsa of Nizami	Five narrative poems by the Persian poet Nizami

    Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?

    1. A1 and 2 only
    2. B2 and 3 only
    3. C1 and 3 only
    4. D1, 2 and 3
12. 12.

    Match List I with List II:

    List I (Artist)	List II (Description)
    A. Abanindranath Tagore	1. Principal of Kala Bhavan, Santiniketan
    B. Gaganendranath Tagore	2. Turned to Kalighat folk painting and tribal art as his main source
    C. Nandalal Bose	3. Absorbed Cubist influences
    D. Jamini Roy	4. Nephew of Rabindranath Tagore and central figure of the Bengal School

    Select the correct answer using the code given below:

    1. AA-3, B-4, C-1, D-2
    2. BA-4, B-3, C-2, D-1
    3. CA-1, B-3, C-4, D-2
    4. DA-4, B-3, C-1, D-2
13. 13.

    Consider the following statements:
    Statement-I: Ajanta paintings are not true fresco (buon fresco) and are better described as fresco-secco.
    Statement-II: In the Ajanta technique the colours were applied on dry lime plaster with organic binders, whereas in buon fresco the pigment is applied on wet plaster.
    Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

    1. ABoth Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I
    2. BBoth Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II does not explain Statement-I
    3. CStatement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect
    4. DStatement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct
14. 14.

    With reference to Kalamkari painting of Andhra Pradesh, which one of the following is correct?

    1. AThe Srikalahasti style is block-printed, and the Machilipatnam style is hand-drawn with a kalam
    2. BBoth styles are hand-drawn, and only the Srikalahasti style has a GI tag of its own
    3. CThe Srikalahasti style is hand-drawn with a bamboo kalam, and the Machilipatnam style is block-printed
    4. DBoth styles are block-printed, and they share a single GI tag between them
15. 15.

    Raja Ravi Varma set up the Ravi Varma Fine Arts Lithographic Press to produce oleographs of his paintings at affordable prices. Where and when was it established?

    1. AIn 1894 at Kilimanoor in Kerala
    2. BIn 1905 at Ghatkopar, Bombay
    3. CIn 1905 at Baroda, in the Gaekwad's capital
    4. DIn 1894 at Ghatkopar, Bombay

1. 1.

   UPSC 2018

   With reference to Indian history, who among the following is a future Buddha, yet to come to save the world ?

   1. AAvalokiteshvara
   2. BLokesvara
   3. CMaitreya
   4. DPadmapani
2. 2.

   UPSC 2026

   The Hallisalasya painting in the Bagh Caves represents :

   1. AA joyous folk dance
   2. BBuddha in a meditative pose
   3. CThe depiction of Shiva and Parvati on Kailasha
   4. DSamudramanthan (Churning of the Ocean)
3. 3.

   UPSC 2019

   Who among the following Mughal Emperors shifted emphasis from illustrated manuscripts to album and individual portrait?

   1. AHumayun
   2. BAkbar
   3. CJahangir
   4. DShah Jahan
4. 4.

   UPSC 2018

   The well-known painting “Bani Thani” belongs to the

   1. ABundi school
   2. BJaipur school
   3. CKangra school
   4. DKishangarh school
5. 5.

   UPSC 2017

   The painting of Bodhisattva Padmapani is one of the most famous and oft-illustrated paintings at

   1. AAjanta
   2. BBadami
   3. CBagh
   4. DEllora
6. 6.

   UPSC 2015

   Kalamkari painting refers to

   1. Aa hand-painted cotton textile in South India
   2. Ba handmade drawing on bamboo handicrafts in North-East India
   3. Ca block-painted woollen cloth in Western Himalayan region of India
   4. Da hand-painted decorative silk cloth in North-Western India
7. 7.

   UPSC 2013

   Consider the following historical places :
   1. Ajanta Caves
   2. Lepakshi Temple
   3. Sanchi Stupa
   Which of the above places is/are also known for mural paintings?

   1. A1 only
   2. B1 and 2 only
   3. C1, 2 and 3
   4. DNone
8. 8.

   UPSC 2010

   There are only two known examples of cave paintings of the Gupta period in ancient India. One of these is paintings of Ajanta caves. Where is the other surviving example of Gupta paintings?

   1. ABagh caves
   2. BEllora caves
   3. CLomas Rishi cave
   4. DNasik caves
9. 9.

   UPSC 2009

   Consider the following pairs: Tradition — State

   1. Gatka, a traditional martial art	Kerala
   2. Madhubani, a traditional painting	Bihar
   3. Singhye Khababs Sindhu Darshan Festival	Jammu and Kashmir

   Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?

   1. A1 and 2 only
   2. B3 only
   3. C2 and 3 only
   4. D1, 2 and 3
10. 10.

    UPSC 2009

    Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the code given below the lists:
    List I (Famous person)
    A. Amrita Sher-Gil
    B. Bhimsen Joshi
    C. Rukmini Devi Arundale
    D. Suryakant Tripathi Nirala
    List II (Well-known as)
    1. Dancer
    2. Painter
    3. Poet
    4. Singer

    1. AA-2 B-1 C-4 D-3
    2. BA-2 B-4 C-1 D-3
    3. CA-3 B-1 C-4 D-2
    4. DA-3 B-4 C-1 D-2
11. 11.

    UPSC 2009

    Consider the following famous names:
    1. Amrita Sher-Gil
    2. Bikash Bhattacharjee
    3. N. S. Bendre
    4. Subodh Gupta Who of the above is/are well known as artist(s)?

    1. A1 only
    2. B1 and 4 only
    3. C2, 3 and 4 only
    4. D1, 2, 3 and 4
12. 12.

    UPSC 1999

    The paintings of Abanindranath Tagore are classified as

    1. Arealistic
    2. Bsocialistic
    3. Crevivalistic
    4. Dimpressionistic
13. 13.

    UPSC 1997

    In the Mahayana Buddhism, the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara was also known as

    1. AVajrapani
    2. BManjusri
    3. CPadmapani
    4. DMaitreya
14. 14.

    UPSC 1996

    Mughal painting reached its zenith under

    1. AHumayun
    2. BAkbar
    3. CJahangir
    4. DShahjahan
15. 15.

    UPSC 1995

    The Mughal School of Painting formed the spinal column of the various schools of Indian miniature art.
    Which one of the following painting styles was not affected by Mughal painting?

    1. APahari
    2. BRajasthani
    3. CKangra
    4. DKalighata
16. 16.

    UPSC 2003

    Consider the following statement:
    1. Kitab-I-Nauras, a collection of songs in praise of Hindu deities and Muslim saints, was written by Ibrahim Adil Shah II
    2. Amir Khusrau was the originator in India of the early form of the musical style known as Qawwali.
    Which of these statements is/are correct?

    1. AOnly 1
    2. BOnly 2
    3. CBoth 1 and 2
    4. DNeither 1 nor 2