1. Ajanta Paintings
i. 100-800 Century. CE, Sungas, Vakatakas and Guptas (mostly).
ii. The murals (fresco Sacco) are thematically religious depicting scenes from Buddha’s life and the Jatakas.
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The decorative design includes Pattern and scrolls and flora and fauna used sinuous lines and sensitive colours.
Devoid of perspective, depth illusion is managed by planning the background figures somewhat above the foreground ones.
iii. The Ajanta style became a fountainhead of Asian painting and murals [Sigiriya, Srilanka, Bamiyan, Afghanistan, China (along the silk route), Korea and Japan].
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2. Bagh Paintings :
The Ajanta axiom extended to Malwa and the Murals at Bagh are at par with it in variety of design, vigorous execution and decorative quality.
3. Sittannavasal Paintings :
The mural tradition of 7th century in Pandaya’s period, characterized by aina theme and symbology.
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4. Pala School (Miniature Paintings) :
i. 9th -12th century CE in Eastern India, Bihar and Bengal.
ii. Works consist of Book illustrations on palm leaf and paper manuscripts. Inspired by Vajrayanism and devoid of folk quality the miniatures are akin to the Deccan murals (in reduced dimensions).
Sinuous and swift lines with subdued tones depicts conventional landscape and flora in different shades highlighted by white.
5. Jaina – Miniature Painting (Apbhramsa School):
i. 12th-15th century C.E. in Western India, Gujarat.
ii. Chiefly consists of miniatures of folk quality on Jaina manuscripts showing predominance of human figure with stereotyped and angular face, sharp nose, protruding eyes all drawn in black against the background of strong or subtle colours.
In later stages the Vaishnavite theme (the Gita Govind) and secular love made the style more emotional than intellectual.
6. Chola Paintings :
i. 12th century Tanjore (Chola’s Capital), Tirunalaipurarn.
ii. It was inspired CE; by Ajanta classicism but less significant to it and of a different regional idiom. The fine frescos based on religious themes have 2-dimensional presentations.
7. Vijaynagar Paintings :
Chiefly consists of excellent murals with abandoned perspective and the naturally hidden further eye protruding from the people of the vigorous, richly dressed figures.
The Vijaynagar mural tradition continued in Lepakshi painting of 16th century. The Lepakshi paintings of Vijaynagar period extended the deccan mural tradition in 16th century.
They are characterized by earth tones, absence of primary colours, outlining done in black (of the forms of figures and details of their costumes) and flat application of colours, and three quarter profiles of faces (due to appending of detached farther eye).
The elements of landscape (tree, rock etc.) are arranged almost like textile design, filling the space and setting the scenes while attempting to capture the likeness of the physical world. As in earlier traditions realism was not the main concern.