Four autelopes in the forest.

Miniature painting in India represents the ultimate sense of perfection in the representational arts, to the point where such perfection on 2D surface almost obliterates the need for the 3D. Under the circumstances, the finest of lines used to depict the mythologies, or the kings, or the animal kingdom but often the wildlife being featured even within the earlier themes, had to be matched with similar refinement of the use of colour, which means that the outlines of the antelope must be shaded with the utmost perfection to reveal its skin colour executed, in this instance of the animals, in off white shell powder. No wonder then, that the greens in the background standout in such vivid relief. Even the other miniature using a mythological theme refuses to buckle down under the pressure of details of the story in progress, or the godly and the demonly characters in presuit of each other. Indian miniatures have used, to perfection, the colours of cobalt blue, vermilion and the tropical greens. Sometimes inlaid with gold and silver leaf. Not to mention the most minute brush strokes to show even the single hair on the squirrel's body.

 

 

 

 


Lord Krishna killing a demon in the avatara of an elephant

 


Radha and the maid in there chamber


Colour in Artefacts
Colours in Textiles
Faces
People
Performing arts