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Q42 (IAS/2018) History & Culture › Art & Architecture › Indian painting traditions Official Key

The well-known painting "Bani Thani" belongs to the

Result
Your answer: —  ·  Correct: D
Explanation

The Kishangarh school is best known for its Bani Thani paintings.[1] A portrait emerged from the court of Kishangarh, which elevated Kishangarh School to the best genre of painting, and this[2] celebrated maid is none other than Bani Thanni.[2] The distinctive and salient stylistic feature of the Kishangarh School is believed to have been derived from the attractively sharp facial features of Bani Thani.[3]

This masterpiece represents the pinnacle of the Kishangarh school of miniature painting, which flourished in Rajasthan. The painting depicts a court singer and is renowned for its characteristic features including elongated eyes, arched eyebrows, and a sharp nose. Therefore, the correct answer is option D - Kishangarh school.

Sources
  1. [1] https://www.ncert.nic.in/pdf/publication/otherpublications/Unity_cultural.pdf
  2. [2] http://pmml.nic.in/static/pdfs/1703569699061Final_Report_Prof._Choodamani_Nandagopal_.pdf
  3. [3] http://pmml.nic.in/static/pdfs/1703569699061Final_Report_Prof._Choodamani_Nandagopal_.pdf
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PROVENANCE & STUDY PATTERN
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Don’t just practise – reverse-engineer the question. This panel shows where this PYQ came from (books / web), how the examiner broke it into hidden statements, and which nearby micro-concepts you were supposed to learn from it. Treat it like an autopsy of the question: what might have triggered it, which exact lines in the book matter, and what linked ideas you should carry forward to future questions.
Q. The well-known painting "Bani Thani" belongs to the [A] Bundi school [B] Jaipur school [C] Kangra school [D] Kishangarh school
At a glance
Origin: Mostly Current Affairs Fairness: Low / Borderline fairness Books / CA: 0/10 · 10/10

This is a quintessential 'Sitter' and a rank-decider. Although the automated scan flagged it as web-based, this is a direct lift from the NCERT Class XI Fine Arts textbook (Chapter: Rajasthani Schools). It represents the 'Indian Monalisa'—a fact so fundamental that missing it indicates a gap in basic static sources.

How this question is built

This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.

Statement 1
Which school of Indian miniature painting does the well-known painting "Bani Thani" belong to?
Origin: Web / Current Affairs Fairness: CA heavy Web-answerable

Web source
Presence: 5/5
"The Kishangarh school is best known for its. Bani Thani paintings."
Why this source?
  • Explicitly names the Kishangarh school and links it directly to Bani Thani.
  • States that the Kishangarh school is best known for Bani Thani paintings, directly answering the question.
Web source
Presence: 5/5
"one such portrait emerged from the court of Kishangarh, which elevated Kishangarh School to the best genre of painting. ... This celebrated maid is none other than Bani Thanni"
Why this source?
  • Describes a celebrated portrait emerging from the court of Kishangarh and identifies that portrait as Bani Thani.
  • Says the portrait elevated the Kishangarh School and that Bani Thani's portrait is a masterpiece of Indian miniature painting.
Web source
Presence: 5/5
"which becomes the distinctive and salient stylistic feature of the Kishangarh School, is believed to have been derived from the attractively sharp facial features of Bani Thani."
Why this source?
  • Describes stylistic features of the Kishangarh School as being derived from the facial features of Bani Thani.
  • Directly ties Bani Thani to the Kishangarh School by explaining how her depiction became a distinctive Kishangarh physiognomy.

History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 14: The Mughal Empire > Paintings > p. 218
Strength: 4/5
“The Mughals achieved international recognition in the field of painting. Mughal miniatures are an important part of the museums of the world. Ancient Indian painting traditions kept alive in provinces like Malwa and Gujarat, along with central Asian influences, created a deep impact in the world of painting. The masters of miniature painting, Abdu's Samad and Mir Sayyid Ali, who had come to India from Central Asia along with Humayun, inspired Indian painters. illustrated with paintings by various painters. Daswant and Basawan were famous painters of Akbar's court. European painting was introduced in Akbar's court by Portuguese priests. During Jahangir's time, portrait painting and the painting of animals had developed.”
Why relevant

Shows that Indian miniature painting is organised into regional/provincial traditions (Malwa, Gujarat) and influenced by incoming styles.

How to extend

A student could use this rule to look for the regional origin of 'Bani Thani' (e.g., identify which province or court produced it) to narrow candidate schools.

Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 4: India on the Eve of British Conquest > Developments in Art, Architecture and Culture > p. 78
Strength: 5/5
“The paintings of the Rajputana and Kangra schools became prominent and revealed new vitality and taste.”
Why relevant

Explicitly names Rajputana and Kangra as prominent schools of painting, indicating that named regional schools are the relevant classification for miniatures.

How to extend

A student could check whether 'Bani Thani' is associated with any named Rajputana sub-school (such as a princely court in Rajasthan) using a map or catalogue of Rajput schools.

Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 1: Sources for the History of Modern India > Painting > p. 11
Strength: 3/5
“Kalighat painting that came to the fore in Calcutta in the nineteenth century depicted not only mythological figures but also ordinary people engaged in their everyday lives. The latter pictures captured the social changes taking place in the Calcutta of the time. These paintings made a comment on social evils of the time; some of these paintings satirised certain modes adopted by the people of the time. In the last decades of the nineteenth century, a new art movement emerged which received its primary stimulus from the growing nationalism in India. Artists like Nandalal Bose and Raja Ravi Varma were representatives of this new trend.”
Why relevant

Gives an example (Kalighat) of a geographically named school linked to a city/region, reinforcing that schools are often tied to place and period.

How to extend

Use this pattern to test if 'Bani Thani' is similarly linked to a specific city/court (e.g., Kishangarh in Rajasthan) by comparing provenance information.

History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 7: The Guptas > Painting > p. 98
Strength: 3/5
“The art of painting seems to have been in popular demand in the Gupta period than the art of stone sculptures. The mural paintings of this period are found at Ajanta, Bagh, Badami and other places. Ajantha Painting From the point of technique, the surface of these paintings was perhaps done in a very simple way. The mural paintings of Ajanta are not true frescoes, for frescoes is painted while the plaster is still damp and the murals of Ajanta were made after it had set. The art of Ajanta and Bagh shows the Madhyadesa School of painting at its best.”
Why relevant

Discusses another named school (Madhyadesa/Ajanta) and shows that stylistic and technical features are used to classify paintings into schools.

How to extend

A student could compare documented stylistic/technical features of 'Bani Thani' with those attributed to regional schools to see which fits best.

Pattern takeaway: UPSC loves 'Superlatives' in Art & Culture. Bani Thani is the most famous female portrait in Indian miniature history. The pattern is simple: Identify the 'Masterpiece' of each era (e.g., Dancing Girl for Harappa, Padmapani for Ajanta, Bani Thani for Kishangarh) and map it to its origin.
How you should have studied
  1. [THE VERDICT]: Sitter. Direct hit from NCERT Class XI (An Introduction to Indian Art), Chapter on Rajasthani Schools of Painting.
  2. [THE CONCEPTUAL TRIGGER]: Classification of Indian Miniature Schools (Mughal vs. Rajasthani vs. Pahari) and their specific sub-schools.
  3. [THE HORIZONTAL EXPANSION]: Memorize the 'USP' of each sub-school: 1. Kishangarh: Nihal Chand (Artist), Savant Singh (Patron), Elongated 'lotus' eyes. 2. Bundi: Rain, clouds, peacocks, Chitrashala. 3. Kota: Hunting scenes (Shikar), dense forests. 4. Kangra: Soft colors, lyrical, Gita Govinda themes. 5. Basohli: Bold primary colors, earliest Pahari school.
  4. [THE STRATEGIC METACOGNITION]: Do not stop at 'Rajput Paintings'. You must distinguish the specific courts (Mewar, Marwar, Hadoti, Dhundhar). UPSC tests the *distinctive feature* or *masterpiece* of each court.
Concept hooks from this question
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S1
👉 Regional schools of Indian miniature painting (Rajputana, Kangra, Malwa, Gujarat)
💡 The insight

The references mention provincial traditions (Rajputana, Kangra, Malwa, Gujarat) as distinct schools that shaped Indian miniature painting — critical for attributing a work to a school.

High-yield for UPSC: questions often ask to identify painting schools, their regional characteristics and patronage. Mastering this helps in source-based and cultural-history questions and links to political patronage and regional art developments.

📚 Reading List :
  • History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 14: The Mughal Empire > Paintings > p. 218
  • Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 4: India on the Eve of British Conquest > Developments in Art, Architecture and Culture > p. 78
🔗 Anchor: "Which school of Indian miniature painting does the well-known painting "Bani Tha..."
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S1
👉 Mughal miniature painting and external influences
💡 The insight

Evidence highlights Mughal miniatures, Central Asian masters, and the introduction of European painting techniques at Akbar's court — showing how Mughal style evolved through external influences.

Useful for distinguishing Mughal style from regional schools; connects art questions to court history and cross-cultural exchange. Helps answer comparative questions about style, technique, and patronage.

📚 Reading List :
  • History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 14: The Mughal Empire > Paintings > p. 218
🔗 Anchor: "Which school of Indian miniature painting does the well-known painting "Bani Tha..."
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S1
👉 Ajanta mural technique vs miniature painting
💡 The insight

References describe Ajanta mural techniques (plaster, pigments, cloth reinforcement), which contrast with miniature painting formats and methods.

Useful for UPSC to differentiate formats (mural vs miniature) and technical processes; aids in answering questions on continuity and change in Indian painting traditions from ancient to medieval periods.

📚 Reading List :
  • History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 7: The Guptas > Painting > p. 98
  • History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 9: Cultural Development in South India > Paintings > p. 128
🔗 Anchor: "Which school of Indian miniature painting does the well-known painting "Bani Tha..."
🌑 The Hidden Trap

The artist behind Bani Thani was 'Nihal Chand', and the patron was Raja Savant Singh (who wrote poetry under the pen name 'Nagari Das'). A likely future question is on the 'Basohli School' (Patron: Raja Kirpal Pal, Text: Rasamanjari) or the specific artist 'Mansur' (Jahangir's court, famous for falcons/zebras).

⚡ Elimination Cheat Code

Linguistic Logic: 'Bani Thani' is a Rajasthani phrase meaning 'decked up' or 'smartly dressed'. This eliminates 'Kangra' (Pahari/Himachal). Among the Rajasthani options (Bundi, Jaipur, Kishangarh), recall the visual signature: the exaggerated, sharp features and curved eyes are unique to the 'mystical' style of Kishangarh, unlike the robust/formal styles of Jaipur.

🔗 Mains Connection

Connect this to Mains GS1 (Indian Culture - Bhakti Movement). The Kishangarh school's depiction of Bani Thani as Radha reflects the influence of the 'Pushtimarg' (Vallabhacharya sect) and Krishna-Bhakti on courtly art, marking a shift from Mughal realism to Devotional idealism.

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