Jodhpur School of Miniatures and Art

The Jodhpur School of miniature art is also often referred to as the Marwar school of art. It flourished with its strong Mughal influence but also kept ahead with its indigenous style. Read on to know its various rulers and their influence in the field of art.

The Six Sons of Maharaja Ajit Singh on a Visit, Source: Wikimedia Commons

The Jodhpur region was referred to as the Marwar region back in the day, which is why the Jodhpur School of Miniature Paintings is often referred to as the Marwar School. Ruled by the Rathor dynasty of Rajputs, the paintings were primarily developed in the Jodhpur court although sub-clans from smaller territories under it existed. They had their own distinctive local style or sometimes referred to as Thikana style.

Though Jodhpur was founded by Rao Jodha in 1459, it came under Mughal rule in 1570. The city's rulers were appointed as military generals of the Mughal army, so they could be assured of their loyalty. This resulted in a prominent Mughal influence in the world of miniature art, but the local styles or the art style that existed in this region did not disappear.

Therefore, The Jodhpur School had various Thikanas under it with the regional styles of art, alongside court school that portrayed a clear Mughal influence.

The Mughal influence was visible in the subjects and compositions of the paintings produced. They surrounded themes like hunting and court scenes along with Mughal-inspired portraitures.

The indigenous style that refused to be overpowered and removed from the narrative gave birth to one of the earliest works of Jodhpur School. It was a 37 part Ragmala set, made in Pali by Pandit Virji for Sri Gopal Dasji and his beloved son, Bithal Das. The style was reminiscent of early Jain manuscript art and book covers from the nearby regions. It also had elements of what is often referred to as the Early Rajput style. They describe a flat- boxish architectural environment with dark backgrounds, strong colours and bold patterns of decoration.

A period of intense painting emerged in the mid-seventeenth century under the patronage of Maharaja Jaswant Singh. He commissioned many documentary-style paintings with court scenes and portraitures. Many well-done group portraits of Jaswant Singh along with his nobles were found from the 1640s and 1660s that displayed remarkable quality, hinting that these Jodhpur artists must have been familiar with Mughal training. This style remained prominent throughout the Jodhpur School, only fizzing out when the Art of Photography started to take shape in the nineteenth century.

After 25 years of fighting and defeating the mighty Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, Maharaja Ajit Singh became the next king of Marwar. The victory was greatly led by the esteemed warrior Veer Durgadas Rathore. His popularity as a warrior had him celebrated in many works of literature and paintings. One portrait of Durgadas, shows him on horseback with mastered bravery and soon became a very famous work of art, that instilled the essence of the historic events.

In the same timeframe, two paintings that depicted the shift of style from static to rhythmic movement and composition in the court style paintings had Ajit Singh as the centre of attention. One depicted a procession whereas the other depicted a hunting scene. These ambitious compositions had started to showcase features recalling the figures of the Pala Ragmala paintings, once again along with neighbouring influence.

The last phase of the Jodhpur paintings was rich in cultural references to the city. During this time, the reign of Man Singh flourished, and paintings emerged that depicted life in the city through a series of vivid scenes in its bazaars, lanes, gates, palaces and other landmarks. These paintings were interesting because they show how Jodhpur’s local architecture and culture helped artists depict their subjects. Even when tales of Mythological stories were told, the sceneries, costumes and ornaments all reflected the then look of Jodhpur.

From preserving their indigenous style to soaking in the Mughal influence when needed, the Jodhpur School of Miniature art was a balanced school when it comes to being their true self. Reflecting real time tales and stories, the reportage flourished along with the unending creativity.