<p>How fine can an artist work?’ is the question that gets redefined when one observes the delicate feathers of Jehangir’s falcon painted as perfectly as the jewels in a portrait of Bahadur Shah Zafar. While the former is in Mughal-style, the latter is in Company-style but both have their USP - as miniatures.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The tradition of small paintings on paper has a long history. A miniature used to be largely a private picture, kept in a book or album and shown to only a selected few. However, the Persian miniature had a dominant influence on other Islamic miniature traditions - the Ottoman miniature in Turkey and the Mughal miniature in the Indian sub-continent. <br /><br />A reflection of the same can be witnessed in the paintings of Babulal Marotia and Shakir Ali, which are displayed as part of a group exhibition. With 14 works by National Awardee Babulal Marotia and 41 by Padma Shri Shakir Ali on display, it is difficult to believe that the art of miniature paintings is on the verge of dying.<br /><br />A walk through the gallery and the rich heritage of India – which has been a melting pot for various cultures (such as Mughal and British) – comes alive. The artworks document the regal statures of kings - Shah Jahan, Jehangir, Bahadur Shah Zafar and Sawai Jai Singh. <br /><br />With intricately drawn jewellery, transparency in attires and fine wrinkles on their faces and hands, the portraits of these rulers are beautiful and may need a magnifying glass in order to be rightfully praised. The details of the carpet design in Jai Singh’s portrait are seen to be believed while the muted tones which house the Mughal emperors highlight the exuberant yet subtle tones of royalty.<br /><br />Moving down in hierarchy, the paintings of weavers, dancers, street performers and the like give a faint idea of the life and living in those times. The most appealing among these is a Nautch girl in a dancing pose by Shakir who explains that, “the British artists used to sketch people from different professions, on the spot. One such sketch of a young dancer inspired me to paint her.” The work is stunning with perfect strokes when it comes to expression and a voluminous ghagra. The gold earring and its intricate detail dominates the otherwise ‘simple’ image.<br /><br />An extension of the above is the painting of weavers with a bright background unlike paintings of merchants and traders. “This change has been made to make the painting look more realistic,” informs Babulal, who has also created the masterpiece depicting Jehangir playing Holi. His painting of a group of courtesans and Nawab Zulfigar-uddin Haidar with companions is as exquisite with human figures narrating the lifestyle of their eras. But all this, in a miniature format with equally intricate borders for <br />each work! <br /><br />The exhibition is on display at Art Heritage Gallery, Tansen Marg till November 12.<br /></p>
<p>How fine can an artist work?’ is the question that gets redefined when one observes the delicate feathers of Jehangir’s falcon painted as perfectly as the jewels in a portrait of Bahadur Shah Zafar. While the former is in Mughal-style, the latter is in Company-style but both have their USP - as miniatures.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The tradition of small paintings on paper has a long history. A miniature used to be largely a private picture, kept in a book or album and shown to only a selected few. However, the Persian miniature had a dominant influence on other Islamic miniature traditions - the Ottoman miniature in Turkey and the Mughal miniature in the Indian sub-continent. <br /><br />A reflection of the same can be witnessed in the paintings of Babulal Marotia and Shakir Ali, which are displayed as part of a group exhibition. With 14 works by National Awardee Babulal Marotia and 41 by Padma Shri Shakir Ali on display, it is difficult to believe that the art of miniature paintings is on the verge of dying.<br /><br />A walk through the gallery and the rich heritage of India – which has been a melting pot for various cultures (such as Mughal and British) – comes alive. The artworks document the regal statures of kings - Shah Jahan, Jehangir, Bahadur Shah Zafar and Sawai Jai Singh. <br /><br />With intricately drawn jewellery, transparency in attires and fine wrinkles on their faces and hands, the portraits of these rulers are beautiful and may need a magnifying glass in order to be rightfully praised. The details of the carpet design in Jai Singh’s portrait are seen to be believed while the muted tones which house the Mughal emperors highlight the exuberant yet subtle tones of royalty.<br /><br />Moving down in hierarchy, the paintings of weavers, dancers, street performers and the like give a faint idea of the life and living in those times. The most appealing among these is a Nautch girl in a dancing pose by Shakir who explains that, “the British artists used to sketch people from different professions, on the spot. One such sketch of a young dancer inspired me to paint her.” The work is stunning with perfect strokes when it comes to expression and a voluminous ghagra. The gold earring and its intricate detail dominates the otherwise ‘simple’ image.<br /><br />An extension of the above is the painting of weavers with a bright background unlike paintings of merchants and traders. “This change has been made to make the painting look more realistic,” informs Babulal, who has also created the masterpiece depicting Jehangir playing Holi. His painting of a group of courtesans and Nawab Zulfigar-uddin Haidar with companions is as exquisite with human figures narrating the lifestyle of their eras. But all this, in a miniature format with equally intricate borders for <br />each work! <br /><br />The exhibition is on display at Art Heritage Gallery, Tansen Marg till November 12.<br /></p>
