The intelligence of tradition in Rajput court painting

Abstract

"The Intelligence of Tradition surveys Rajasthani traditions of Rajput painting while developing new methods to ask unprecedented questions about meaning. Through a series of in-depth studies, Molly Aitken shows how traditional formal devices served as vital components of narrative meaning, expressions of social unity, and rich sources of intellectual play. Supported by full-color illustrations of rare and often inaccessible paintings, Aitken's study spans five centuries, providing a comprehensive and innovative look at Rajasthan's court painting traditions and their continued relevance to contemporary art."--BOOK JACKET.

Contents

Introduction. The intelligence of tradition -- 1. Structures of desire : an introduction to the court paintings of Rajasthan -- 2. Interpreting style -- 3. The formalities : form and function in Mewar portraiture -- 4. Repetition and response : the case of Layla and Majnun -- 5. Chokha's Shringara (amorous) style : the painter as interpreter of his tradition -- Conclusion. The lives of Rajput pictorial forms from the nineteenth to the twenty-first century.