The timeless art tradition of Jaipur

An exhibition of 54 paintings of Govind Ramdeo attracted the viewers attention mainly because of its historical  and spiritual perspective which reminded centuries old style and figurative. The paintings were modest in scope, the style deliberately rigid  where any deviation from the original formula may constitute sacrileges. He said 'There is not a slight trace of contemporary art in our paintings because we do within the framework of rigid style.

Some canvases are very expressive and elegant. We still carry the same tradition of making very natural color with the help of soil, the  Ganges water and some time we use the cow’s urine  with respective colors and while creating an image of Lord Shiva we recite some Mantras related to Him. I do not think it is easy to make such traditional art in present age. It was the arrival of the British which brought the sea change in sculptural  architectural art including painting in India. So it happened in Rajasthan also. 

The profession of artists in India was not socially exalted one.Therefore the initial western ideas among the elite were restricted to literature and it did not include the visual arts. When the western academic arts became the medium of instruction of the artists, the traditional artists had nothing more to share in it. They were happy with depicting the delicate and aristocratic features and elegant figures on canvases which appeared entirely convincing and real as illustrated in the Purans.

Unfortunately there were not many to understand the importance of art in the country. The interest of traditional artists were ignored by neo elite class of the society who dominated the educational scene that time. It was the arrival of the British which brought a sea change in sculptural architectural art including painting in India. So it did in Rajasthan also. Since we are committed to the art and purity of Indian art only, we are continuing the flags of fore fathers.