SHIVA AND FAMILY AT THE PRATAPESHWAR SHIVA PARIVAR TEMPLE, JAIPUR, MID 19TH CENTURY, RAJASTHAN, GOUACHE AND GOLD ON PAPER, 30 MM X D.123 MM. IN PORTABLE BRONZE SHRINE WITH FITTED LID (GHATAJI). PHOTO: DOMINIC THOMAS. COLLECTION OF THE AUTHOR – TAASA Review September 2021

In the latter half of the 20th century ateliers producing these painting were sacrificed to the requirements of mass production and the demands of the tourist trade.

Few ateliers remain to remind us of those which once existed throughout Rajasthan, surviving despite the catastrophic inroads into their livelihood: social change has brought about a shortage of commissions and substitution of photographs and plastic-coated prints have overwhelmed the traditional artists’ skills. Some miniatures were executed as nazar, the term for paintings of exceptional quality given as gifts by the artist to prominent members of society to mark a particular occasion.

Illustrated is a late 19th century nazar commissioned at the time of the Nandotsava Festival celebrated on the day following the night of Krishna’s birth...