Saturday, November 10, 2001
F E A T U R E


The art of appreciating art
Thakur Paramjit

THE Chandigarh Museum and Art Gallery is a treasure trove of miniature paintings. A number of people — both tourists and locals — visit the museum, which now dons a new look, thanks to the keen interest shown by Lieut Gen JFR Jacob(retd).

A Pahari miniature belonging to the Gitagovinda series
A Pahari miniature belonging to the Gitagovinda series

But do all the visitors appreciate the paintings? Do they spend enough time on each painting, to study its finer nuances?

Sadly no. Many of us know that Indian miniature paintings have been widely appreciated in various countries of the world. But how many of us know how to appreciate them? Perhaps less than 5 per cent.

"A miniature painting should be held at a distance of 12-14 inches, at an angle of 70° from the eye", advises Dr Goswami, an authority on art. He emphasises the necessity of spending sufficient time to study minute details of a painting, if one really wishes to go deep into the mind of its creator and to assess its true value. Most often a person concentrates on the main object only, giving little attention to the background and other elements visible in the painting. If a lover is sitting with his beloved on a river bank, a person would normally see the two of them only. He won’t see how beautifully the painter has drawn the trees which have lovely birds on them, how soft green grass blades have provided a cushion for the couple, how the surroundings add to the romantic setting, and the like. Such details add charm to a painting and speak of the laborious hours spent by an artist in creating it.

 


Casting only a cursory glance at a painting deprives one of the real pleasure that can be gained by interpreting it at a leisurely pace. Let us take the example of the painting published with this article. It is a Pahari miniature, belonging to the Gitagovinda series. It shows Krishna lovingly holding Radha. Some people would be satisfied by just this information. Others would like to know some technical details like its school, period of execution, size, etc. But how many will go into the visual interpretation of its elements? How many will feel that its well-balanced elements effectively convey in a sublime language what written words might not have been able to express properly? In this painting, Krishna and Radha are light while every other thing is dark, showing that it is night. Moreover, this contrast creates the right kind of atmosphere — serene, refined and sophisticated. On the right hand side, a distant tree shows two trunks well apart from one another; another tree at a lesser distance shows two trunks, which have come closer, and the nearest tree shows only one trunk. This symbolises the union of Krishna and Radha. Behind Krishna and Radha, the artist has painted two trees — one dark and the other light. These again symbolise the two lovers — the dark one is Krishna and the fair one is Radha," explains Dr Goswami.

"To really appreciate a painting, let your eye wander over the whole painting, studying its details bit by bit," advises Dr Goswami. Pahari painters excel in the depiction of feminine beauty. But a beautiful maiden is always shown surrounded by myriad of things. After surveying the whole painting, one should observe the minor details. For example, while concentrating on the face of the maiden, one must notice the beauty of her eyes, her lips, her nose; the delicate expressions on her face; and the like. This will never be possible without scanning the painting inch by inch.

"We always endeavour to provide a serene environment and relaxed atmosphere in which visitors can spend a few hours to appreciate the paintings displayed here. To create art awareness, we have also published some books and very reasonably priced posters of a few miniature paintings", says V.N. Singh, Director of the Government Museum and Art Gallery, Chandigarh.

In Japan, the authorities take out the treasures housed in their monasteries and display them for just three to four days in a year. Here, in Chandigarh, we are fortunate to have the opportunity of viewing our treasures around the year. Grab the opportunity. You will relish your heritage.

.........................................