View source for Bikaner style of painting

{{Short description|Rajasthani style of Indian painting}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2018}}

[[File:Shahadin 001.jpg|thumb|''Krishna lifts [[Mount Govardhan]]'' by [[Ustad Sahibdin]], c. 1690. [[British Museum]]]]
The '''Bikaner style of painting''' is a [[Art of Rajasthan|Rajasthani]] style of [[Indian painting]] developed in the city of [[Bikaner]], capital of [[Bikaner State]]. It is one of the many schools of [[Rajput painting]] that developed in the late 17th century with the help of artists from the imperial Mughal workshops, who dispersed after these were run down in the reign of [[Aurangzeb]], who ceased to patronize [[Mughal painting]]. The subjects are most either court portraits, or illustrations to Hindu texts. The Bikaner style is more closely related to the Mughal one than many other Rajput styles, also with some elements of [[Deccan]] style.<ref>Harle, 394-395</ref>

During the reign of [[Raja]] Karan Singh (r. 1632–69) there were close connections with the court of the emperor [[Shah Jahan]], while the imperial workshops were still flourishing, and some Mughal-style subject matter began to appear late in this reign. Karan Singh's youngest son, [[Anup Singh of Bikaner|Anup Singh]] (later raja, 1674–98), was a general commanding Mughal forces, especially in the Deccan, where he was based in [[Hyderabad]] for some time. This very likely accounts for the Deccan influences apparent in later paintings. His best artist, Ruknuddin (Rukn/h ud din Firuz), travelled with him, and many other Bikaner painters were relatives of his; other artists emigrated from the Deccan to Bikaner.<ref>Kossak, 17</ref>

== Description ==
The subjects painted often originate from [[Hindu mythology|Indian mythology]].  Raja Rai Singh was particularly influenced by Mughal art.  They painted scenes from the ''[[Ragmala]]'', ''[[Bhagavata Purana]]'', and ''[[Raslila|Rasalila]]''.

What distinguishes the Bikaner style of painting<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://rajuswami.com/about/|title=About Bikaner Miniature Painting Style Rajasthani Miniature Style|website=Raju Swami|language=en-US|access-date=2016-06-08}}</ref> from other Rajasthani styles of painting are finer lines and a more reserved range of colours than what are typically present in Mughal artwork. [[Ali Raza (painter)|Ali Raza]] painted paintings of [[Lakshmi Narayana]] and a portrait of Karan Singh. Ruknuddin used the technique of painting fountains and court scenes using a nature-based background. Later Bikaneri art focused on Bikaner’s architecture such as [[Haveli|havelis]] in the city. [[Bikaner]]i artists displayed their work outside royal courts giving businessmen and landlords the chance to appreciate this style of art.<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://mahaveerswami.wordpress.com/2013/07/09/history-of-bikaner-style-of-painting-and-its-contemporary-contexts/|title = History of Bikaner Style of Painting and its Contemporary Contexts|date = 9 July 2013|accessdate = |website = |publisher = |last = Swami|first = Mahaveer}}</ref>

<gallery widths="200px" heights="200px">
File:The Gopis Plead with Krishna to Return Their Clothing Folio from a Bhagavata Purana (Ancient Stories of Lord Vishnu) series. 1610 Metmuseum.jpg|''The [[Gopi]]s Plead with Krishna to Return Their Clothing'', from a ''[[Bhagavata Purana]]'', c. 1610. [[Metropolitan Museum of Art]]
File:Gazing Fondly in the Mirror.jpg|''Gazing Fondly in the Mirror'' by [[Natthu Umrani]], 1665. [[San Diego Museum of Art]]
File:Ladies of the zenana on a roof terrace.jpg|''Ladies of the zenana on a roof terrace'' by [[Ruknuddin]].  [[Bikaner State|Bikaner]], 1675. [[Kronos Collections]]
File:Vishnu revealing his divinity to Vasudeva and Devaki, National Museum, New Delhi.jpg|''Vishnu revealing his divinity to Vasudeva and Devaki'', [[National Museum, New Delhi]], {{circa|1725}}.
File:Brooklyn Museum - Equestrian Portrait of Maharaja Sujan Singh of Bikaner - Kasam Son of Muhammad.jpg|Equestrian Portrait of Maharaja Sujan Singh of Bikaner, by Kasam, Son of Muhammad, 1740s. [[Brooklyn Museum]]
File:Artist at work. Bikaner c. 1780-90. Painting of India.JPG|Artist painting a lady, c. 1780-90. National Museum, New Delhi
</gallery>

== References ==
{{commonscat|Bikaner painting}}
{{Reflist}}

== Further reading ==
* Harle, J. C., ''The Art and Architecture of the Indian Subcontinent'', 2nd edn. 1994, Yale University Press. ([[Pelican History of Art]]), {{ISBN|0300062176}}
*Kossak, Steven, ''Indian court painting, 16th-19th century'', 1997, Metropolitan Museum of Art, {{ISBN|9780870997839}}, [https://libmma.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p15324coll10/id/12335 fully online]

[[Category:Schools of Indian painting]]
[[Category:Bikaner]]