The Warrior-King in Rajput Paintings
A tour through the military traditions depicted in Northern India's Rajput painting style.
Between the 16th and 18th centuries, the artists of Northern India produced one of the most beautiful and unique schools of painting in history. Rajput paintings drew from both Hindu and Islamic Mughal artistic traditions, creating a rich genre of portraits, mythology, and scenes from daily life. Many of these paintings have survived to the present day. Some of the most fascinating are those that depict the rulers of their day: the Rajput and Mughal nobles whose lives and legacy were defined by both the arts and warfare.
The Rajputs and Mughal India
Like most aristocracies, the rulers of Rajput and Mughal India employed artists to paint them at their finest. At this time, the mainly Hindu Rajput kings were engaged in a fierce struggle for control over the Indian subcontinent. The Muslim Mughal Empire, founded by descendants of Timur and Genghis Khan, spread south into India between 1526 and 1847. The Mughals, while an invading force, also carried with them Islamic traditions of art, literature, and philosophy.
The Rajputs (“son of a king”), meanwhile, represented specific ruling clans of India. Within India’s complex caste and clan systems, the Rajput status was primarily drawn from families of warrior-kings, who had claimed their land within the last few centuries. It was not a caste, and included people from several castes and backgrounds, but was a distinct social division denoting prestige and rulership. Battle lines were not always divided by religion; many Rajput kings worked with and swore fealty to the Mughals as well, particularly after the first waves of invasion. Marriages between Rajput and Mughal nobles were common. In this way, cultural transfer occurred between the elite circles of both societies.
The Warrior-King Tradition in India
Long before the Rajputs came to power, India had fostered a tradition of warrior kings. The ruling caste, the Kshatriyas, combined the roles of administrator and warrior. The Gautama Buddha, for example, was born into a Kshatriya dynasty around 2500 years ago. A prophecy made in his childhood predicted he would either become a world conqueror, as his family hoped, or abandon his position to become a great sage. While the caste system has declined in modern India, there are still members of the Kshatriya caste who consider it their duty, or dharma, to lead and protect their communities.
The Rajputs, as mentioned earlier, were not all part of the Kshatriya caste, though the majority claimed at least partial Kshatriya ancestry. In some cases, mostly to the north, Rajput kings could also be Muslim. They shared a social class, but they rarely unified. The exception to this is a confederacy formed under the leadership of Rana Sanga to oppose the advancing Mughals. Their armies met with several victories against the Mughal conqueror Babur before disintegrating with Rana Sanga’s death in 1528. The Mughals, however, were a religiously tolerant empire and frequently allowed the Rajput kings to stay in power. This reduced the frequency of local warfare, allowing for a period of prolific artistic output and commerce.
Rajput Paintings and Mughal Miniatures
The art of Rajput painting developed primarily in Northwest India, in states such as Rajasthan, Punjab, and Madhya Pradesh, among others. Several factors contributed to its distinctive style. The first was the widespread introduction of Muslim miniature painting, a technique refined mainly from older Persian and Greek customs. Another important step was the proliferation of paper—before it flooded Indian markets in the 1400s, most paintings were completed on walls or palm leaves. Paper offered a smoother surface and more customized shapes for painters to work with. And, of course, the Rajput artists also drew from thousands of years of Indian artistic achievement.
From these origins, Rajput painting grew into a unique and much admired school of art. As a general rule, paintings can be recognized by their vibrant colors, fine details, and tendency to depict their subjects in profile.
The Cavalry Tradition of Rajput Paintings
Since the Rajputs were descended from a warrior tradition, it’s no surprise that many of their portraits carry a martial flair. Combat, hunting, and expensive horses are all common themes of Rajput paintings. This imagery gave prestige to the portrait’s subject, conveying the ideas of wealth, fitness, and ability to lead. Horses in particular were a status item in Rajput courts. The finest tended to come from the region of Jodhpur, exemplified today by the Marwari breed.
Other Subjects in Rajput Paintings
Of course, not all Rajut paintings focused on kings and their exploits. Another notable branch of Rajput art highlighted scenes from Hindu mythology, most notably the life of Krishna. Krishna, a favorite hero of India, is often shown enraptured with his favorite lover, Radha. The pair represent the divine unity of love and the essential balance of traditionally masculine and feminine traits.
The examples offered here are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the art of Rajput India and India in general. They showcase a pinnacle of artistic expression in world history, and their beauty is still widely recognized and appreciated today.
References
Beach, Milo Cleveland, and Gordon Johnson Beach, editors. The Cambridge History of India: Mughal and Rajput Painting. Vol. 3, Cambridge University Press, 1992, www.google.com/books/edition/Mughal_and_Rajput_Painting/0RjwxGMKC9cC?hl=en&gbpv=0.
Behrendt, Kurt. “Poetic Allusions in the Rajput and Pahari Painting of India.” The Met, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Oct. 2016, www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/rajp/hd_rajp.htm.
Naravane, M.S. The Rajputs of Rajputana: A Glimpse of Medieval Rajasthan. A.P.H. Publishing Corporation, 1999.
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