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Marwar School of Painting

Marwar's painting is mostly the Jodhpur court style, with Bikaner as its best-known branch; it also reached Jaisalmer, Nagaur and parts of Ajmer.

⏱ 3 min read✓ Facts checked 15 October 2026

Contents

At a glance

  1. Ragamala Chitravali, 1623: painted by Virji for Vitthaldas Champawat of Pali, in the pure Rajasthani style.
  2. Nath sect: Man Singh followed it and had countless pictures of Naths painted; Dana Bhati's work shows the peak.
  3. Usta art: gold painting on camel hide, developed by Bikaner's Usta family.

Facts

Sub-stylesJodhpur, Bikaner, Kishangarh, Ajmer, Nagaur, Sirohi, Jaisalmer; thikanas Ghanerao, Riyan, Bhinay, Juniya
Early tracesOgh Niryukti Vritti of the Pratihara period; Lama Taranath names Shringdhar of Maru desh, 7th century, who began the Yaksha style
PeakJodhpur under Maharaja Man Singh (1803–43)
Jodhpur paintersAmardas Bhati, Dana Bhati, Shankardas, Madhodas, Ramsingh Bhati, Shivdas

Jodhpur

  • Maldev: credited with giving Marwar's art new life; examples are the Chokhelav Mahal and an illustrated Uttaradhyayan Sutra.
  • 1610: a Bhagavata, painted and written, with features of Mewar and Marwar.
  • Jaswant Singh: a turning point; Krishna themes and Mughal influence.
  • Ajit Singh: probably the most beautiful and lively Marwar pictures, showing feudal life. Abhai Singh: Dalchand became famous; his 'Maharaja Abhai Singh watching a dance' (1725) is at the Mehrangarh Museum, Jodhpur.
  • Themes: love tales such as Dhola-Maru, Moomal-Mahendra, Rupmati-Baj Bahadur; Kalyan-Ragini.

How to recognise Jodhpur work

  • Men: tall, broad, strong bodies, moustaches, high turbans, royal dress; women in rajasthani lehenga, odhni and red fundna.
  • Almond-shaped eyes and high pag are its own; red and yellow dominate.
  • Nature suits the desert; the khanjan bird is drawn well.

Bikaner

  • Origin: the end of the 16th century; its early pictures are in the Bhagavata Purana painted in Rai Singh's time.
  • Ali Raza and Ruknuddin: the RBSE book says Rai Singh brought Ustad Ali Raza and Ustad Hamid Ruknuddin from the Mughal painters; IGNCA makes Ali Raza the favourite painter of Karan Singh (1631–69) and Ruknuddin a court painter of Anup Singh.
  • Two families: the Mathern family painted in the Jain-mixed Rajasthani style; the Ustas painted in the Mughal style.
  • Anup Singh: the pure form and the peak; Ramlal, Alirza and Hasan, and the Mathern painters Munnalal, Mukund and Chandulal; painting based on Hindi, Sanskrit and Rajasthani works.
  • Look: slim delicate women; blue, green, red, brinjal, purple and grey colours; Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb style turbans beside tall Marwari ones; camel and deer; Saras-Mithun, a pair of cranes under rain clouds; fountains show the Deccan style.

Ajmer, Nagaur, Jaisalmer, Ghanerao

Sub-styleFactsPainters
AjmerThikanas Bhinay, Sawar, Masuda, Juniya; Chand's portrait of Raja Pabuji (1698) is a fine example; patronised by Hindus, Muslims and Christians alikeChand (Juniya), Tayyab (Sawar), Ramsingh Bhati (Nand), Jalji and Narayan Bhati (Kharwa), Madhoji (Masuda); women: Usna, Sahiba
NagaurWooden doors and fort wall paintings under Marwar influence; the 'old age' pictures; transparent dress
JaisalmerGrew under Maharawal Harraj, Akhaisingh and Mulraj; Moomal is its chief picture; no Mughal or Jodhpur influence, a purely local style
GhaneraoA thikana in Godwar, south of Jodhpur; made a new styleNarayan, Chhajju, Kriparam

Remember: often mixed up

  • Style and painterKishangarh, Nihalchand · Bikaner, Ali Raza · Mewar, Sahibdin · Marwar, Shivdas.
  • Bikaner or Alwar paintersMunnalal, Mukund, Chandulal are Bikaner · Jamnadas, Chhotelal, Baksaram, Nandram are Alwar.
  • GroupKishangarh and Bikaner are Marwar-group styles · Alwar and Uniara belong to Dhundhar.
  • Jaisalmer or JodhpurJaisalmer's style shows no Jodhpur influence.

Test yourself: asked in exams

Protection Officer 2022 · Q134

Chandulal, Mukund, Munnalal were the painters of which painting style ?

  1. (1)Mewar style
  2. (2)Bikaner style
  3. (3)Jaipur style
  4. (4)Alwar style
Show answer

✓ (2) Bikaner style

See the full paper

RAS Prelims 2024 · Q130

Match List – I with List – II regarding famous painting styles and their painters of Rajasthan and select the correct option : List – I — List – II A. Kishangarh — i. Sahibdeen B. Bikaner — ii. Nihalchand C. Mewar — iii. Ali Raza D. Marwar — iv. Shivdas Codes :

  1. (1)A-ii, B-iv, C-i, D-iii
  2. (2)A-ii, B-iii, C-i, D-iv
  3. (3)A-ii, B-iii, C-iv, D-i
  4. (4)A-ii, B-i, C-iii, D-iv
Show answer

✓ (2) A-ii, B-iii, C-i, D-iv

See the full paper

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