Page 186 - Eye of the beholder

In addition the artist used a a a a a a a a a contrast of primary colours as as blue and and and yellow yellow and and and red and and and yellow yellow along with a a a a a a a a liberal use of of gold and and silver The rendering of of jewellery as pearls and and necklaces were delineated by raised white paint The landscape was treated in in in a a a a a a a a a a decorative manner with a a a a a a a a high horizon and this was typical of of Basohli miniatures Elements of of nature as as as clouds lightening and and rain received distinctive treatment with clouds shown as thin wisps and and curls on on the horizon Light rain rain was depicted by by pearl like strands and and heavy rain rain by by straight white lines linked with with the clouds while water was represented with with spiral conventions Basohli style resulted from the the fusion of a a a a deeply religious art rooted in folk tradition with the the basic elements of of the the Mughal technique During Sangram Pal’s reign [1653-73] the the ruling family of of Basohli Basohli adopted Vaishnavism Though Basohli Basohli paintings exhibit the use of strong colours its treatment of of of trees and profusion of of of jewellery had resonance to Mewar paintings though no historical evidence supports the the contact between the the two states The early paintings produced around 1660-70 reflected the the conflicts involved in in in in the the change over from Shaivism While some works depict Devi and Parvati a a a a a a a major series illustrates Rasamanjari which apparently was a a a a a a a a a a a a a a secular work written by Bhanudatta - a a a a a a a a a a a a a a Sanskrit love lyrics and popular among the the elite having the the classification of Ashta Nayikas or eight heroines and heroes in in which the hero hero is is is is identified as Krishna marking a a a a a a a a shift towards Vaishnavism which was not yet firmly entrenched to warrant a a a a a a a forthright illustration of a a a a a a a regular religious work belonging to the sect A A beautiful painting derived from Vishnu Purana titled “Matsya Avatar has the representation of of eddying swirls of of water with with blue toned Vishnu wearing a a a a a a crown with with peacock feathers and having four arms carrying sankh gada lotus and chakra Vishnu is is represented in in in conflict with the the the the demon demon Hayagriva who was the the the the Danav Raja or or the the the the King of all the the the the demons According to the the Vishnu Vishnu Purana Vishnu Vishnu had vowed that he he he he would visit the the earth whenever Adharma or or injustice manifested itself Therefore when when humanity was at stake and when when Adharma emerged in in in the form of a a a a a a a a a a a demon named Hayagriva Vishnu incarnated as a a a a a a a a a a a fish Matsya in in in Sanskrit means “Fish” and was the the first of of the the ten avatars or incarnations of of Vishnu In this incarnation Vishnu saved the world from a a a a a a a a a a a great flood Matsya is is generally depicted as a a a a a a a a a a a giant fish fish or or or also anthropomorphically with a a a a a a a a human torso connected to to the rear half of a a a a a a a a fish fish According to one of the the the legends associated with the the the Matsya Avatar there lived a a a a a a a demon by name Hayagriva He was was the son of Sage Kashyapa Kashyapa and his wife Danu Kashyapa Kashyapa was was hailed for being a a a a a a a a boon to humanity but Hayagriva was was the exact opposite The demon was was chosen as as the the the Danav Raj (king of the the the demons) and his sole motive was to to stop the the the humans from becoming more powerful than the the the Danavs He wanted to establish the the the Danav Danav clan as the the the most superior one and hence made several attempts to disrupt the the progress of the the human class Realizing that Vishnu had handed the the four Vedas to to to to Brahma he he he decided to to to to steal them to to to to stop the the sacred texts from reaching the the humans 180