Page 157 - Eye of the beholder

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The sky represented in in the the background has streaks of oranges against the the blue expanse suggesting dusk and hence the the time for lovers meets In the the background projecting prominently is a a a a a a a rocky out out crop silhouetted against the sky and rendered broadly without any defining details The landscape has been delineated as as as a a a a a a a a a vast open space with gentle sloping rolling hills and and then a a a a a a a a flat land where the ragini is seated Surrounding her her are three trees with decorative foliage which in in in their lush green leaves and and blossoming white flowers and and orange tinge at the the end of the bunch of of leaves bears correspondence to her her sentiments of of passion and love in her her heart The tree tree on her right has been interestingly devised by the the artist artist Through the the artistic use of tree tree branches he he he he he he has has separated the the the the foliage of of of the the the the crown of of of the the the the tree that has has the the the the shape of of of a a a a a a a a a a triangle to the the the thicker and broader mass mass of of the the the foliage below thus visually breaking the the the heavy mass mass of of the tree tree and providing providing a a a a a sense of airiness The tree tree is laden with white flowers providing providing an an ambience of happiness The white bird that the ragini gestures to is seated on a a a a a a a lower branch The patches of tonal greens continue in in in in the foreground with a a a a stream in in in in grey colour flowing by The patch patch where she sits is rendered in in rust orange suggesting symbolically the dry patch patch as a a a result of the the fierce fire burning within her The well thought out symbolism addresses the the sentiments and emotions by alluding to elements of nature thus creating a a a a a a a strong visual impact The whole composition is well organized spatially with with judicious juxtapositions of greens with with its varied tonalities in which the the the vertical elements of the the the trees balance with the the the horizontal contours of of of the the meadows Equally interesting are the the two stumps of of of tree trunks The effect of of of perspective with low horizon wide expanse of of the the sky and the the placement of of trees in relation to space show the strength of western painting tradition manifesting in in in in in Indian miniatures which the artist has absorbed with accuracy KISHANGARH: KING IN IN CONVERSATION WITH THE PRIEST 1820-1850
The discovery of Kishangarh paintings is is is is attributed to an an an Englishman by name Eric Dickinson who was professor of of English Literature at at at the the Aligarh University and later in the the Government College College Lahore In 1943 while on on on a a a a a a a visit to Mayo College College Ajmer along with an Educational Delegation he he he was taken to to the the nearby state of of Kishangarh to to see the the palace collection of of paintings and it was here that he he he he chanced upon the Kishangarh masterpieces The earliest Kishangarh paintings date from the the 18th century though the the kingdom itself was founded in in in in 1609 by Kishan Kishan Singh Singh the eighth son of of of Udai Singh Singh of of of Jodhpur The city and citadel of of of Kishangarh were built on on the banks of Gundaloo Lake Kishan Singh was only 26 when he he he carved out a a a a a a a state for himself Like other young Rajput Princes of his time he he also sought military service with the the Mughals Jehangir mentions the the young soldier in his memoirs A striking feature feature of of Kishangarh style of of painting is is to be found in in in in the facial features particularly in in in in the the the portrayal of Radha and Krishna The painting in in in in the the the Sadhu collection has the the the unorthodox subject with the representation of of three males’ figures each of of different social status namely the the the the the king priest and the the the the the chauribearer In analyzing their features the the the the the line of the the the the the forehead in in in in the profile recedes upwards and flows down towards an an aquiline nose The chin contour mildly thrusts out out The eye is drawn out out its corner tilting upwards to meet the terminating sweep of an an obliquely arched eyebrow The liberal use of of pearl ornaments is evocative of of early Rajasthani and Basohli works The profile face is combined with a a a a a a near frontal view o of the torso The colours employed have the the full strength and intensity particularly the the use of crimson orange and the the the brilliant green with an an an an unusual high skyline which are the the the saliencies of the the the Kishangarh School The fine old ivory tone of the the face acquires greater luster with the the contrast of the the dark black hair The colours have an an an elegant and royal subtlety particularly in the the sartorial attire of the the king with a a a a a a a a yellow shawl covering him placed against the the white dhoti