In the eighteenth century, what increasingly became the subject matter of Mewar painting?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Courtly activities and pastime of the royals
Option (1) Religious and literary texts like the Gita Govinda — Incorrect. Themes such as the Gita Govinda got renewed stimulus in Jaipur under Sawai Pratap Singh. Mewar painting moved away from texts to court life.
Option (2) Textual representations such as the Ramayana — Incorrect. Painting moved away from textual representations, such as the Bal Kanda of Ramayana, to court life.
Option (3) Courtly activities and pastime of the royals — Correct. Eighteenth-century Mewar painting turned to courtly activities and pastime of the royals, growing secular and courtly.
Option (4) Landscape as the real subject of compositions — Incorrect. Landscape as the real subject is credited to Kota artists, not to Mewar.
NCERT (2026-27): “Mewar School of Painting …Painting in the eighteenth century increasingly slithered away from textual representations to courtly activities and pastime of the royals. Mewar artists, generally, prefer a bright colour palette with prominent reds and yellows.” “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.” |