Introduction :

Indians knew the art of painting since prehistoric times. The earliest paintings in India can be found on the walls of Bhimbetka caves in Madhya Pradesh. The walls of these caves have been decorated with animal and human figures.

Painted geometric designs and symbols had also been found on pottery items belonging to the Indus valley civilization. The high point of painting in the ancient period can be seen in the frescoes from Ajanta, which depicts the life and style of that period realistically.

The introduction of Persian styled miniatures by the Mughals, lent a new dimension to the art of painting in India. Not only were Mughal miniatures great masterpieces, they also influenced local miniature schools in Rajasthan, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh.

Various miniature schools flourished in Rajasthan, during the Mughal era and continued even after it. Some of the important miniature schools of that period were: Mewar, Marwar, Kishangarh, Dhunbar and Hadoti school. Each school had its own distinct style, which distinguished it from the others. Court scenes, love scenes, hunting scenes, images of local deities and mythological episodes, dominate these paintings.

The Indian art of painting is varied and diverse, like the cultures, to which they belong. Paintings are made using a variety of medium. Traditional Indian paintings depict gods and goddesses, mythological scenes, scenes pertaining to erstwhile royal houses and scenes from daily life. Paintings created by artists belonging to different tribal societies are vibrant, symbolic and depict all aspects of tribal life.