Fine Arts CUET UG Notes These notes are designed exactly as per CUET Fine Arts Syllabus for 2026 Chapter 1: The Manuscript Painting Tradition Chapter 2: The Rajasthani Schools of Painting Chapter 3: The Mughal School of Miniature Painting Chapter 4: The Deccani Schools of Painting Chapter 5: The Pahari Schools of Painting Chapter 6: The Bengal School and Cultural Nationalism Chapter 7: The Modern Indian Art Chapter 8: The Living Art Traditions of India

The Living Art Traditions of India Conceptual Foundations of Living Traditions There has always existed a timeless tradition of art forms practised by people living far away from urban centres, in forests, deserts, mountains and villages. While the study of Indian art often focuses on courtly traditions or styles associated with dynasties and regions, an equally significant question arises—what about the common people? Were they not creative? The living art traditions of In

The Modern Indian Art ORIGINS AND EARLY MODERNISM IN INDIA The emergence of modern Indian art must be understood within the broader context of colonial rule, where the British viewed fine arts as an essentially European domain. They believed that Indians lacked both the training and sensibility required to create and appreciate fine arts. Consequently, art schools were established in cities such as Calcutta, Bombay, Madras and Lahore during the nineteenth century. These ins

The Bengal School and Cultural Nationalism TRANSITION FROM COLONIAL ART TO NATIONALIST RESPONSE Art in India, prior to the coming of the British, served a very different purpose than it did under colonial rule. It was deeply embedded in religious, cultural, and social life. Artistic expression could be seen in temple sculptures, miniature paintings illustrating manuscripts, and decorative motifs on the walls of village homes. These forms were guided by tradition, memory, and

The Pahari Schools of Painting ORIGIN, NATURE AND HISTORIOGRAPHY OF PAHARI PAINTING The term Pahari literally denotes “hilly or mountainous” in origin, and is used to describe a remarkable body of paintings that emerged in the hill states of the western Himalayas. These include centres such as Basohli, Guler, Kangra, Chamba, Kullu, Mandi, Bilaspur, Jammu and others, which developed as important artistic hubs between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries. The evolution of

The Deccani Schools of Painting ORIGINS, CONTEXT AND DEFINING CHARACTERISTICS The history of Deccani painting can be largely constructed from the late sixteenth century until the 1680s, which marks the period when the Mughals conquered the Deccan. However, the vitality of this tradition did not cease abruptly; it continued to find expression in later centuries, especially under the Asafiya dynasty and in the provincial courts of Rajas and Nawabs ruling various regions under

The Mughal School of Miniature Painting Foundations, Context, and Stylistic Synthesis The Mughal School of Miniature Painting developed in the northern Indian subcontinent during the sixteenth century and continued to flourish until the mid–nineteenth century. It is distinguished by its sophisticated techniques, diverse themes, and its lasting influence on later schools of Indian painting. This style occupies a significant and definitive place within the broader tradition o

The Rajasthani Schools of Painting INTRODUCTION, MATERIALS, AND THEMATIC FOUNDATIONS The term Rajasthani Schools of Painting designates a group of pictorial traditions that flourished across the princely kingdoms and thikanas of Rajasthan and adjoining regions of Central India between the sixteenth and early nineteenth centuries. These included centres such as Mewar, Bundi, Kota, Jaipur, Bikaner, Kishangarh, Jodhpur (Marwar), Malwa, and others. The nomenclature itself has

The Manuscript Painting Tradition FOUNDATIONS OF THE MANUSCRIPT PAINTING TRADITION The manuscript painting tradition in India has its conceptual roots in early textual sources, most notably the Vishnudharmottara Purana , a fifth-century treatise whose third Khanda contains the Chitrasutra . This text may be regarded as a foundational source for Indian art in general and painting in particular. It elaborates upon the art of image-making, referred to as pratima lakshana , lay