In the eighteenth century, Mewar painting showed an increasing fascination for which of the following?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → Portraiture
Option (1) Illustrations of religious texts — Incorrect. In this century Mewar painting grew more secular and courtly, so religious texts were not its new interest.
Option (2) Ragamala sets — Incorrect. Ragamala sets are not among its new subjects. These were portraits, court scenes, hunts, festivals and zenana life.
Option (3) Landscape as the real subject — Incorrect. Kota artists seem to have been the first to render landscape as the real subject.
Option (4) Portraiture — Correct. An increasing fascination for portraiture emerged as Mewar painting turned courtly.
NCERT (2026-27): “Mewar School of Painting …Mewar painting in the eighteenth century increasingly became secular and courtly in ambience. Not only an increasing fascination for portraiture emerged but outsized and flamboyant court scenes, hunting expeditions, festivals, zenana activities, sports, etc., were largely favoured as subjects.” “Kota School of Painting …By the reign of Ram Singh I (1686–1708), artists had passionately enlarged their inventory to a large variety of subjects. Kota artists seem to have been the first to render landscape as the real subject of compositions.…” |