Upper Paleolithic period paintings

• The paintings of the Upper Palaeolithic phase are linear representations, in green and dark red, of huge animal figures, such as bisons, elephants, tigers, rhinos and boars besides stick-like human figures
• Most paintings consist of geometrical patterns, the green paintings are of dancers and the red ones of hunters
• The richest paintings from this time period is reported from the Vindhya ranges of Madhya Pradesh and their Kaimurean extensions into Uttar Pradesh.
• These hill ranges are full of Palaeolithic and Mesolithic remains.
• Among these the largest and most spectacular rock-shelter is located in the Vindhya hills at Bhimbetka in Madhya Pradesh

Mesolithic paintings

• The largest pre-historic paintings discovered in India belongs to this period
• During this period the themes multiply but the paintings are smaller in size. Hunting scenes predominate
• The hunting scenes depict people hunting in groups, armed with barbed spears, pointed sticks, arrows and bows
• In some paintings these primitive men are shown with traps and snares probably to catch animals.
• The hunters are shown wearing simple clothes and ornaments also
• In some paintings, men have been adorned with elaborate head-dresses, and sometimes painted with head masks also
• Elephant, bison, tiger, boar, deer, antelope, leopard, panther, rhinoceros, fish, frog, lizard, squirrel and at times birds are also depicted.
• Animals were painted in their naturalistic style, while human beings were depicted in a stylistic manner

Sittanavasal Paintings

• Sittanavasal and other centres of paintings show the extent of its penetration in the South.
• The paintings of Sittanavasal are intimately connected with Jain themes and symbolism, but enjoy the same norm and technique as that of Ajanta.
• The contours of these paintings are firmly drawn dark on a light red ground.
• On the ceiling of the Verandah is painted a large decorative scene of great beauty, a lotus pool with birds, elephants, buffaloes and a young man plucking flowers

Basohli School

• This school of Pahari painting received patronage from Raja Kripal Pal.
• The Pahari region comprises the present State of Himachal Pradesh, some adjoining areas of the Punjab, the area of Union Territory of Jammu in the Jammu and Kashmir State and Garhwal in Uttar Pradesh
• An artist named Devidasa executed miniatures in the form of the Rasamanjari illustrations in 1694 A.D.
• An illustration from a series of Gita Govinda painted by artist Manaku in 1730 A.D is another famous example of this school of painting
• There is the use of strong and contrasting colours, monochrome background, large eyes, bold drawing, use of beetles wings for showing diamonds in ornaments, narrow sky and the red border are observable in this miniature

Kalighat Painting

• It originated in the 19th century in West Bengal, India, in the vicinity of Kalighat Kali Temple, Kalighat, Calcutta
• From the depiction of Hindu gods, god, and other mythological characters, the Kalighat paintings developed to reflect a variety of subjects, including many depictions of everyday life
• Paintings on the life of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is also quite common in this form of painting
• Contemporary events like crime were also the subject of many paintings.
• The artists also chose to portray secular themes and personalities and in the process played a role in the Independence movement.
• They painted historic characters like Rani Lakshmibai, and Duldul the famous horse of Imam Hussain of Karbala.
• The use of water colours on mill paper, with brushes made of calf and squirrel hair is characteristic of this school of painting.
• These simple paintings and drawings, which could easily be reproduced by lithography influenced even modern artists like the late Jamini Roy