Tracing miniature art

AHMEDABAD: The volume II of the N C Mehta collection of Indian miniature paintings highlights the intricate and delicate brushwork of schools of paintings beginning with Rajasthani and followed by central Indian (Malwa, Orccha, Datia) and Mughal.
Housed in Lalbhai Dalpatbhai Museum since 1993, these paintings represent most of the schools and wide range of themes from 16th to 19th century.
Author Ratan Parimoo, who dwelt on the Western Indian style of Jaina paintings within Gujarat with epicentre at Patan in the volume I, says, "Mehta had an eye for portraits which offered an opportunity to write on Indian artists' competence in the genre of portraiture, and delve into the intricacies of dynastic histories."
Like the first volume, this book too is based on the concept of catalogue raisonné - it is a monograph giving a comprehensive list of artworks of an artist, describing the works in a way that they are reliably identified by third parties.
Paintings based on sringara literature in Sanskrit and Braj 'bhasa' are elaborately interpreted here. In the chapter on sringara themes, Parimoo talks about popularity of poet Keshavadas' among the patrons and painters and how his poetic works 'Rasikapriya' and 'Baramasa' were selected as subject matter for paintings in central India.
In the verse on top of NCM.48, Keshavadas explains "how to deal with arrogance that may become obstacle between the lover and his beloved and prevent them from consummating their love." These lines form the subject matter for the painting by Mewari-style artist Sahibdin where he has delineated rapprochement of Radha-Krishna amid thick groves of trees. Parimoo says, "This may be a folio from a Mewari set painted during the second half of the 17th century."
A number of fascinating unpublished drawings and curious set of small paintings have also been included in this volume.
Contribution by guest authors, who have covered 'Ragamala' theme, Persian illustrated folios and Nepalese 'Vajrayana' paintings, gives the book a comprehensive character that encompasses paintings in India over four centuries.