Miniature Art

‘Mansur: A novel in twenty-four miniatures’ by Vikramajit Ram

“Set in Agra, 1627, Mansur: A Novel reimagines a day in the life of an imperial Mughal atelier. Ustad Mansur belonged to a distinguished group of master painters in the service of Jahangir. He specialised in watercolour life-studies—of unmatched realism and finesse—of flora and fauna, both native and exotic.” – Vikramajit Ram for Sarmaya Talks.… Read more »

Untitled

This composition is an Untitled piece by Gopa Trivedi (b.1987) made from Gouache and Silver foil on Wasli. This work is inspired by a Hindi poem by Pash, the pen-name of Avtar Singh Sandhu. मैं घास हूँ (I am grass) is an anthem of dissent. In Gopa Trivedi’s painting, the gradual progress of the grass… Read more »

Untitled

This composition is an Untitled work by Gopa Trivedi (b. 1987) made from gold and graphite on wasli.  Gopa Trivedi’s work illuminates our individual and collective anxieties about a slow degradation eating at the ground beneath our feet. The stork in this composition symbolises apathy. Gopa is inspired by Indian miniature painting traditions to create… Read more »

Space Age: The celestial art of Desmond Lazaro

The art of Desmond Lazaro is a manifestation of his meticulous research in the fields of cosmology, astronomy, and astrophysics, interpreted through the lens of the miniature art traditions he has imbibed

This Just In

Why do we collect what we do? The inexorable pull of nostalgia. The simple human need to draw closer to beauty. The undeniable thrill of acquisition. All these influence the act of collecting. At our archive, each potential addition to the collection is judged by one other criteria: Can this object expand our understanding of the Indian subcontinent and its inexhaustible vault of stories?

Miniature of Shrinathji

This miniature painting is of Krishna as Shrinathji, made in the Nathdwara style. Shrinathji is the presiding deity of the Pushtimarg Vaishnava religion. The spiritual home of Shrinathji is in Nathdwara, near Udaipur. The Nathdwara school is one of the most well-known schools of painting associated with the art of Pichwai.  Pichwai, however, was painted… Read more »

Miniature of Shrinathji

This miniature painting is of Krishna as Shrinathji, made in the Nathdwara style. Miniatures like these were most popular in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Shrinathji is the presiding deity of the Pushtimarg Vaishnava religion. The spiritual home of Shrinathji is in Nathdwara, near Udaipur. Miniatures like these were most likely intended to be… Read more »

The Interview Panel

‘The Interview Panel’ is a typical example of the works of Alexander Gorlizki and Riyaz Uddin; quirky and humorous. Here, the artists have worked over an unidentified painted photograph in miniature style. They toy with and expand the ideas of painted photography and miniature art. The compositions, colours and intricate patterns drawn on these family… Read more »

Gathering on a Family Farm

Quirky and humorous, ‘Gathering of a Family Farm’ is a work of artist Alexander Gorlizki with Riyaz Uddin. Here, the artists have painted over an unidentified family portrait in miniature style. They toy with and expand the ideas of painted photography and family portraiture. The painting makes use of a collage-like technique and at the… Read more »