Illustrated books dealing with Hindu themes and stories were produced in northwest India by the late 15th century. These books were generally commissioned by lay devotees, often as acts of religious merit. Although they were painted on paper, these bookswere often made in a horizontal format, as can be seen in this folio from an illustrated manuscript of the
Bhagavata Purana, which reflects the shape of earlier palm-leaf manuscripts. This folio is from a manscript in which most of the leaves have
Sa. Nana or
Sa. Mitharam written on them; it is believed to have been commissioned by two brothers who were merchants. The name
Sa. Nana is inscribed at the top left of this page.
Compiled before the 9th and the 10th centuries, theBhagavata Purana, featuring the exploits of the Hindu god Vishnu, is one of the best known and best loved works of Indian religious literature. Book Ten, which focuses on Vishnu's manifestation as the god Krishna, is the most popular section of this classic, and incidents in it are often depicted in Indian painting. This manuscript page illustrates Krishna's ferocious battle with the five-headed demon Mura, who sleeps under the water surrounding the city of Pragyyotishapura. Here Krishna, carried aloft by the bird-man Garuda and fighting the demon, is shown at the upper left of the page. The domestic scenes at the right show inhabitants of the city, who seem unaware of the combat that is shown raging to the left. The compartmentalization of these two scenes is typical of Indian painting prior to the importation of Persianate styles and techniques to the Islamic courts of India during the 16th century. The juxtaposition of areas of bold color within the painting, the unrealistic proportions of the figures with regard to the architecture, and the exaggeration of body parts as in, for example, the depiction of the eyes, are common in nonimperial paintings from northwest India, as is the pulsating energy in the treatment of the figures.
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Illustrated books dealing with Hindu themes and stories were produced in northwest India by the late 15th century. These books were generally commissioned by lay devotees, often as acts of religious merit. Although they were painted on paper, these bookswere often made in a horizontal format, as can be seen in this folio from an illustrated manuscript of the <I>Bhagavata Purana</I>, which reflects the shape of earlier palm-leaf manuscripts. This folio is from a manscript in which most of the leaves have<I>Sa. Nana</I> or <I>Sa. Mitharam</I> written on them; it is believed to have been commissioned by two brothers who were merchants. The name <I>Sa. Nana</I> is inscribed at the top left of this page.<P>Compiled before the 9th and the 10th centuries, the<I>Bhagavata Purana</I>, featuring the exploits of the Hindu god Vishnu, is one of the best known and best loved works of Indian religious literature. Book Ten, which focuses on Vishnu's manifestation as the god Krishna, is the most popular section of this classic, and incidents in it are often depicted in Indian painting. This manuscript page illustrates Krishna's ferocious battle with the five-headed demon Mura, who sleeps under the water surrounding the city of Pragyyotishapura. Here Krishna, carried aloft by the bird-man Garuda and fighting the demon, is shown at the upper left of the page. The domestic scenes at the right show inhabitants of the city, who seem unaware of the combat that is shown raging to the left. The compartmentalization of these two scenes is typical of Indian painting prior to the importation of Persianate styles and techniques to the Islamic courts of India during the 16th century. The juxtaposition of areas of bold color within the painting, the unrealistic proportions of the figures with regard to the architecture, and the exaggeration of body parts as in, for example, the depiction of the eyes, are common in nonimperial paintings from northwest India, as is the pulsating energy in the treatment of the figures.</P>
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