Jaipur

Etymology: Just like many of the Rajasthani miniatures, the art forms get their name from the place of their origin. Hence the name - Jaipur Miniatures.

Origin: Jaipur miniatures originate from Jaipur, which is the largest city in the state of Rajasthan.

Location: The miniatures originated from Amber City in the state of Amber, but around the 18th Century, the art hub shifted to Jaipur. The centres for Jaipur miniatures then became the Alwar and Tonk districts of Jaipur city.

Community: The city of Jaipur is purely influenced by the Rajasthani and Rajputi cultures, and they celebrate all festivities wholeheartedly.

Relevance: The Amber City had close ties and an influx of Mughal rulers. Hence most of the Jaipur miniatures are portraitures of the rulers and royal court.

Background: The various rulers and influences modelled this art form in so many ways. But eventually, the Jaipur miniatures we know today are in genuine Jaipur-Rajpur style.

Religious Significance: The Vaishnavite sect inspired Sawai Jai Singh to commission various works of art featuring Radha and Krishna. In sets based on Rasikapriya, Gita Govinda, Baramasa, and Ragamala painted during his reign, the king's resemblance may be seen in the hero's features.

Culture and Societies: Being in the hub of art and culture in the heart of Rajasthan, Jaipur celebrates its socio-cultural diversity, also called the 'Pink City'. The architecture speaks of the miscellaneous influences as well.

Legends or Myths: Under the patronage of Maharaja Sawai Madho Singh, Sahib Ram introduced an innovative technique into his work by pasting or fixing wood pieces of various sizes and shapes to pictures and painting them so perfectly that they resembled real decorations.

Central Motifs and their Significance: Royal portraits, local musings, and characters from Hindu mythology were among the favoured subjects painted by the artists. The true-to-life drawn architectural depictions of Jaipur's infrastructure are clear indications of Sawai Jai Singh's brilliantly planned framework of the city. Special focus was given to the costumes and jewellery by the artists, the paintings surrounding Krishna, under the patronage of Sawai Raja Pratap Singh (1778-1803), were minutely detailed, soft, and refined.

Mediums Used: Opaque watercolour mediums were used to create these miniatures. These pigments were sourced from their natural environment. Elements such as semi-precious stones, minerals, soils, clay, leaves, flowers, seeds, and vegetables were gathered to extract colours from them.

Style: There were two phases in the Jaipur School of Paintings- one that was greatly influenced by the Mughal school and the second that was simplistic with its composition. In the first phase, more focus was given to the subject, and the background was a neutral solid colour. While in the second phase, the focus was shared equally between the subject and the background. The background was just as emphasised; usually, an architectural element or an elaborate outdoor scene from the court was painted. The true Jaipuri style of miniatures explored themes of life-size portraitures, mythology, astrology, and erotic compositions. Men and women are drawn to anatomical correctness.

Process: The same methods as with the other miniature paintings are used to prepare the framework. The mounter is Wasilgarh. The primary sketch is done in light colours. White paint is used to create the figures' outlines. Additionally, the colours are filled up with tiny strokes that highlight the artwork. After the outline is completed, a polish is given using a polished stone slab known as 'Aqiq'. The writings visible above and below the paintings are done by Khasnabis.

The growth of Indian tourism, however, shaped and created a new market for miniature paintings. The government took a few initiatives to revive the art form: Elephant teeth were once used to make the stencils for this design, and a synthetic alternative with a comparable texture is currently utilised.

Additionally, artists receive a big quantity of stamp paper from the Jaipur government in exchange for one to three miniature paintings. Women artisans from a range of homes collaborate with artists to create a variety of miniature works of art to sell, such as micro-miniature paintings, artwork on grains, and more.

Jayasimha Niraja and Jai Singh Neeraj (1991). Splendour of Rajasthani Painting. Abhinav Publications.