THE EMOTIONAL ALLURE OF UDAIPUR PAINTINGS

UDAIPUR PAINTINGS, ESPECIALLY POST THE MUGHAL ERA ARE A REFLECTION OF THE CHANGING SOCIAL AND POLITICAL LANDSCAPE OF INDIA

- RAJESHWARI KALYANAM

Udaipur paintings are known for their bold, expressive style. A Splendid Land: Paintings from Royal Udaipur is an international exhibition being organised by the Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art in collaboration with the City Palace Museum in Udaipur. It's a rare collection of 75 works of Mewar paintings from the 1700s to the 1900s on display at the exhibition.

Royal Paintings of the Udaipur over the centuries were not just a symbol of wealth of the court but were also visual record of patronage for arts and a notion of storytelling and narration of cultural, mythological and religious beliefs. Bhava is an important notion in Indian aesthetics; it refers to an emotional state and mood of a character or a scene, and in the context Udaipur paintings of the scene, landscape and characters of a painting. It creates a rift in the interpretation of artworks. The use of facial expressions, body language, colour and light attribute to the Bhava of the painting, and the idea Bhava allows the spectator to enjoy the essence and mood of the scene depicted and helps them connect and interpret the artwork better.

Seasons are an important concept in Udaipur paintings; they symbolise rasa, and sometimes, feelings and emotions. They convey a cynical nature of time and changing seasons; The land is arid in the summers due to heat waves and the scorching sun. The monsoons can be chaotic and filled with lightning and thunder, and can also be about romance. Autumn, are about pleasant yet sublime mood, when crops are harvested, and the weather is lovely. The lush foliage, birds, and colourful flora and fauna of spring.

All these factors, the affluent patronage, style, characteristics, lavish detailing make for ultimate emotional enticement - and final emotional allure!