Category 3 · Art & Culture

Painting

11 micro topics in Art & Culture for UPSC Prelims, in book order: Cave Paintings (Bhimbetka, Ajanta, Bagh, Ellora); Tradition of Mural Paintings in India (Kerala Murals, Lepakshi); and 9 more.

1. 3.1

   Cave Paintings (Bhimbetka, Ajanta, Bagh, Ellora)

   Indian cave paintings range from prehistoric rock shelter art to the classical wall paintings of the Buddhist caves. Bhimbetka in Raisen district, Madhya Pradesh, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2003, has Palaeolithic to medieval rock…

2. 3.2

   Tradition of Mural Paintings in India (Kerala Murals, Lepakshi)

   Mural paintings are large paintings made directly on the walls and ceilings of temples, palaces and caves. Major Indian mural traditions are the Chola murals of the Brihadeeswara temple at Thanjavur (11th century), the Vijayanagara murals…

3. 3.3

   Tradition of Miniature Paintings in India

   Miniature paintings are small, highly detailed paintings on paper, palm leaf, cloth or ivory, made for books, albums and courts. The Indian tradition runs from the Pala school of Bihar and Bengal (8th to 12th century,…

4. 3.4

   Paintings in the Deccan

   Deccani painting is the miniature school of the Deccan sultanates, active from the 16th to the 17th century at Ahmednagar, Bijapur and Golconda, and later at Hyderabad. It blended Persian, Turkish, Mughal and Vijayanagara elements, with…

5. 3.5

   Rajput School of Painting

   The Rajput school of painting, also called Rajasthani painting, is the miniature tradition of the Rajput courts of Rajasthan and Malwa from the 16th to the 19th century. It portrays Hindu epics, the Bhagavata Purana, Krishna's…

6. 3.6

   Pahari School of Painting

   The Pahari school of painting is the miniature tradition of the Himalayan foothill states, in present-day Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab hills and Uttarakhand, from the 17th to the 19th century. It began with the…

7. 3.7

   Miniature Painting in South India (Tanjore, Mysore)

   South Indian miniature painting is best known through Thanjavur (Tanjore) paintings of Tamil Nadu and Mysore paintings of Karnataka, both traced to Vijayanagara patronage and flourishing under the Nayakas, Marathas and Wodeyars from the 16th to…

8. 3.8

   Regional Paintings (Madhubani, Warli, Patachitra, Kalamkari, Phad, Gond)

   Regional or folk paintings are community-based art forms that pass from family to family, using natural colours and local themes. Madhubani (Mithila) painting of Bihar uses fine lines and bright natural dyes. Warli painting of the…

9. 3.9

   Modern Paintings (Bengal School, Raja Ravi Varma)

   Modern Indian painting began in the late 19th century with Raja Ravi Varma (1848 to 1906) of Kilimanoor, Travancore, who painted Indian mythological themes in European oil and realistic style and spread them through oleographic prints.…

10. 3.10

    Contemporary Paintings (Progressive Artists' Group)

    Contemporary Indian painting after independence began with the Progressive Artists' Group (PAG), formed in Bombay in 1947 by F. N. Souza, S. H. Raza, M. F. Husain, K. H. Ara, H. A. Gade and S. K.…

11. 3.11

    Company School Painting (Colonial Era)

    Company School painting, also called Company painting or Kampani Qalam, is the style of Indian artists who worked for British East India Company officials from the mid-18th to the mid-19th century, mixing Indian miniature skill with…

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Frequently asked questions

Which topics are in Painting?

Painting has 11 micro topics in Art & Culture: Cave Paintings (Bhimbetka, Ajanta, Bagh, Ellora); Tradition of Mural Paintings in India (Kerala Murals, Lepakshi); Tradition of Miniature Paintings in India; Paintings in the Deccan; Rajput School of Painting; Pahari School of Painting; Miniature Painting in South India (Tanjore, Mysore); Regional Paintings (Madhubani, Warli, Patachitra, Kalamkari, Phad, Gond); Modern Paintings (Bengal School, Raja Ravi Varma); Contemporary Paintings (Progressive Artists' Group); Company School Painting (Colonial Era).

Is Painting important for UPSC Prelims?

Painting is a part of the UPSC Prelims Art & Culture syllabus map on MaargX UPSC. Each of its 11 published topics has key terms, a Mains angle and practice questions.