5. The Viṣṇudharmottara-purāṇa and the Modern Paintings

The third part of the Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa provides the fullest account of Indian painting which bears various branches, methods and ideals of Indian Painting. In the Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa, the reference of using walls as canvas is found where the walls are said to be plastered before painting.^[1] The paintings discovered in different regions of Rajasthan such as Bikaner, Palitana, Udaipur, Jaipur in 17^th century are also seen to be drawn on walls.^[2] The following figures show the pictures of wall painting of Kotah’s Garh Palace.^{[3] [4]}

Figure: Rajput Woman;
Figure: Kṛṣṇa with Rādhā and other Gopīs

The Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa also suggests portraying different seasons through paintings. In the Rāgamālā paintings seasons are beautifully seen to be projected through the paintings of some Rāgas and Rāginīs. A.K Coomaraswamy also agrees on it.^[5] The following figures show the painting of spring and rainy seasons.

Figure: Vasanta Rāginī with Spring Season^[6]
Figure: Madhu-Mādhavī Rāginī with Rainy Season^[7]

The Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa also gives emphasis on the proper projection of every limbs of a human body in a painting. That is why this work gives proper measurements of every limb which are already discussed in previous chapter.^[8] In the Jain painting also the drawing of human figure is seen to be very particular, the shape of the nose of a human portrait is seen to be very pointed and the corners of the eyes are seen to be extended.^[9] The Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa accepts hiṅgulaka i.e. vermilion and haritāla i.e. orpiment as materials of colours used in painting. In the Dakṣiṇa pāṭ satra of Majuli of Assam, manuscript paintings painted with hiṅgulaka and haritāla are seen to be preserved. The following figure shows the picture of these paintings.^[10]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Vide.ch.5, f.n. 48

[2]:

A.K Coomaraswamy, Introduction to Indian Art, p.118

[3]:

Source: Google, From Rama Toshi Arya’s blog. Picture Credit: Rama Toshi Arya, Posted on:

[4]:

.10.2017, Venue: Kotah’s Garh Palace, Rajasthan

[5]:

A.K. Coomaraswamy, Introduction to Indian Art, p.120

[6]:

Source: Google, Vasant Ragini, Page from a Ragamala Series (Garland of Musical Modes), Metropolitan Museum of Art, Asia, India, Rajasthan, Amber

[7]:

Source: Google, Picture Credit: Sasha Lambert, Collection: Indian Art.

[8]:

Vide, Chapter: 5

[9]:

A.K Coomaraswamy, Introduction to Indian Art, p.116

[10]:

Source: Google, Wikimedia Commons, Licensed Under Creative Commons, https://as.wikipedia.org/?curid=59211