Stylistic Development of Ragamala Paintings in 17th Century Mewar

The state of Mewar was known for its resistance against the Mughals, a defiance also reflected in its art. The narrative painting style in Mewar, rooted in the indigenous Chaurapanchasika style, resisted adopting the Mughal visual idiom for most of the 17th century. In this study, we discuss the origins of the Mewar school of art, exemplified by one of the earliest folios, the Bhairavi Ragini from the 16th century, and trace the evolution of this art form in conjunction with political developments. The emergence of a distinct Mewari style began with the Chawand Ragamala of 1605. By 1628, a ‘mature Mewar’ style developed under artist Sahibdin, who assimilated diverse influences to create a unique local style. However, after Sahibdin, there was a decline in artistic innovation. During the reigns of Rana Raj and Jai Singh (1652-98), the school progressed a little, continuing along the trends set by Sahibdin. The Gem Palace and Boston Ragamalas later emerged as significant works due to their innovative reinterpretation of the Ragamala theme. By the end of the 17th century, while court art and portraiture thrived, traditional subjects like the Ragamala remained conservative and were less influenced by Mughal styles. This study posits that Mewar’s Ragamala paintings highlight Mewar’s cultural resilience and selective adaptation of external artistic elements and examines the stylistic development of Ragamala paintings in 17th-century Mewar, contextualising artistic explorations within political factors and patronage.