British Art


 
 
Concept Explanation
 

British Art

British Art: British rule in India left a lasting impact on Indian Artists and their painting s- the use of watercolors and oil paints was introduced in India for the first time. There was a shift in subject matter from the depiction of court scenes and aristocratic portraits to the depiction of ordinary people and their lives. When Indian artists lost the patronage of the rulers and the nobles with the coming of the British, they were forced to move away from capital towns and the cities in search of jobs.

Many went to British settlements and hoped to get British patronage. Initially they were employed in decorating houses and drawing maps. Later, the British employed them to paint picture postcards of exotic Indian festivals and ceremonies to be sent to their relatives and friends back home. Influenced by the European style of painting, some Indian painters also moved away from the rigid 2dimensional lines of traditional Indian art to be more realistic and fluidic. Raja Ravi Varma (1848 – 1906) the painter from Travancore experimented with oil on canvas.

 

 
 


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