POETRY OF BRUSH - Chotu Lal

Throughout epochs and civilisations, miniature painting has unfolded a delight for the beholder's eye and a testimony to the precision and poetic potential of artists. An intimacy of scale, meticulous attention to detail and design, with resplendent colouration combine to render a jewel-like journey of the painter's vision.From Mughal period works to early Christian illuminated manuscripts, from Persian folios (The King of Kings) to noble private calendars (Les Tres Riches Heures of the Duc de Beri) to Celtic interlace (The Book of Kells), miniatures have been created with royal and ecclesiastical patronage. In Rajasthan alone, since the 16th century, a number of different schools flourished. Contemporary masters are few, given the dedication necessitated by the genre. Nevertheless, there are painters who brave this path.