L1 - Prehistoric paintings
L2 - Indus Pottery
L3 - Ajanta & Post Ajanta
L6 - Medieval paintings
L8 - Pahari paintings
100
The Bhimbetka paintings are similar to which modern folk art?
Warli art
100
Which colour is used to paint the designs of the jar?
Mineral colours
100
In which district are the Bagh caves found?
Dhar district
100
What is Mahayana Buddhism?
A sect of Buddhism that believes in image worship
100
What is the use of kharia mitti while making a pahari artwork?
It is used to coat the paper before applying paint, like a primer.
200
In which age were the prehistoric paintings found today done? How many years ago was that?
Mesolithic age, 12000 years ago
200
Which period do the potteries belong to? Mention the dates. What is the purpose for which potteries were used in the Indus civilization?
Indus pottery belongs to the earliest known phase of Indian art from about the middle of 3rd millennium BCE to about 1700 B.C.
These potteries were largely used for storage and burial purposes.
200
What are the two types of caves found in Ajanta?
(with their purpose)
Chaityas - caves for praying
Viharas - caves for resting
200
What is the pose and mudra of the deity in Pancharaksha Tara?
Padmasana pose, Abhayamudra
200
Share any 2 themes found in Chamba paintings
Any 2
(1) Dasavatara
(2) The Vishwarupa
(3) Bhagavata Purana
(4) Ramayana
300
Explain the characteristic features of the ‘Bhimbetka Rock paintings’
Bhimbetka paintings show the Mesolithic period of hunter-gatherers.
Some characteristic features of the paintings are:
The major theme of these paintings is human-animal relationships
All their figures are found to be full of action
Animal figures were drawn with much more accuracy and completeness than the human figures
300
Write in detail about the serving pot with a tiger motif.
The tiger can be seen with criss cross lines inside the body, dotted lines on the outset.
It is an abstract drawing, still we are able to make out the form of the tiger.
We can see that the design has been adjusted to the shape of the vessel as the tiger has been given an elongated body to spread across the wide mouthed jar.
300
What does Ajanta constitute, and what does Jatakas represent?
The Ajanta caves consists of a great gallery of Buddhist art illustrating scenes from the life of Lord Buddha and his previous lives - which comprises the Jatakas, floral and animal motifs, and stories.
The Jatakas represented in the caves are the Chhaddanata Jataka, Hasti Jataka, Vessantara Jataka, Mahakapi Jataka II, Matiposaka Jataka, Sama Jataka etc.
300
Mention 3 artistic features found in Jain Manuscripts.
Flatness of the form
Stereotyped expression and
Lack of perspective
300
Share any three natural colours and their sources which are used in pahari paintings
Any 3
Red from Lahi (an insect) or Beetroot
Blue from Jamun or neel
Yellow from turmeric, Ramraj (stone) or Goguli (stone)
Green from lapis Lazuli, boiling leaves
Black from Kajal
Golden colour from the peel of anar (pomegranate)
400
Describe the different rock art.
Rock art in India can be classified on the basis of the three regions it was found in:
Mirzapur rock art - found in Uttar Pradesh, these rock paintings mostly show a variety of domestic and wild animals
Pachmarhi rock art - found in Madhya Pradesh, these paintings were made with white mineral colours on the brick red surface of the rocks
3. Bhimbetka rock art - also found in Madhya Pradesh, these are from the period of hunter-gatherers. They show the relationship between people and animals.
400
Describe some common features found in Indus pottery.
Any 4
Themes: These pots usually showed painted figures of bulls, tigers, snakes and hunting scenes.
Colours: They were mostly in bright and dark red or buff colours
Design: They were sturdy, well baked and almost all had black bands around their
surfaces.
Shape: They came in various sizes and shapes but were all made round
Purpose: Pots were mainly used for cooking, serving, storage and burial. Painted pots were mostly the ones for storage and burial because cooking jars would not be able to keep the mineral colours.
400
What is happening in the painting 'Dancing Panel'?
In this painting, we see a group of dancers - apsaras (heavenly angels) sitting in a circle around a dancer in the centre dressed in an embroidered kurta, possibly of Persian descent.
The dancery are wearing short dresses, heavy jewellery and have elaborate hairstyles.
The cymbals and drums in the hands of the dancers show a musical atmosphere.
The variety in dresses of the dancers tell us that dancers of various regions were invited to dance in the royal court.
400
Appreciate the painting Todi Ragini.
The composition is well-balanced.
In spite of the flatness of the background, a sense of depth is achieved and the painter has been successful in creating the blissful natural atmosphere of a garden.
The colours are bright, and the effect is heightened by using colourful dots, both on the costumes of the lady and the trees.
The human and animal figures are full of movement and expression.
400
Describe the special elements of the painting 'Under the Kadamba Tree'
Cowherds are seen with cows, while the Gopis carry pots on their heads.
Inside the thick foliage of the Kadamba tree, peacock and other birds can be seen.
Cranes and other birds fly to make the whole painting amazingly delightful.
Theme: The central theme of Kangra paintings is love - both romantic and spiritual. Here, the embrace of the two characters creates an aura of romance, sensuality and arousal. At the same time, they are awakened by each other like the human soul awakened by the realisation of God.