The Chitrasutra of the Vishnudharmottara Purana explains several limbs of painting. What does the limb called “roopbheda” refer to?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Looks and appearance
Option (1) Aesthetic composition — Incorrect. This is lavanya yojana, a different limb, not roopbheda.
Option (2) Measurements and proportions — Incorrect. This is pramana, the limb of measurements, proportion and structure.
Option (3) Looks and appearance — Correct. Roopbheda is the limb of painting that deals with looks and appearance.
Option (4) Resemblance — Incorrect. This is sadrishya, the limb of resemblance.
Note: This topic was not named in the CUET 2026 syllabus, but it was part of the NCERT chapter. In 2025 and 2026, NTA also asked questions on topics in NCERT that the CUET syllabus did not name. So our mocks have questions from every part of the NCERT chapter, to give you enough practice. Read the whole chapter, not only the sub-topics named in the syllabus.
NCERT (2026-27): “The Manuscript Painting Tradition …The third Khanda of the Vishnudharmottara Purana, a fifth century text has a chapter Chitrasutra, which should be considered as a source book of Indian art in general and painting specifically. It talks about the art of image making called pratima lakshana, which are canons of painting. The Khanda also deals with the techniques, tools, material(s), surface (wall), perception, perspective and three-dimentionality of human figures. Different limbs of painting, such as roopbheda or looks and appearance; pramana or measurments, proportion and structure; bhava or expressions; lavanya yojana or aesthetic composition; sadrishya or resemblance; and varnikabhanga or use of brush and colours have been explained at length with examples.…” |