Kishangarh Miniatures

It was by sheer chance that is 1952 Prof. Eric Dickinson discovered the Kishangarh miniatures, wrapped in a dusty basta and dumped in an inconspicuous place in the fort of this small state capital. Instinctively Dickinson realized that he had hit the virtual eldorado of the most magnificent miniatures. The similarity of their style – elongated figures, lavish green landscape topped by a glorious horizon aglow in crimson hues of the setting sun evidenced a concentrated period of artistic production. These were the divine lovers – Radha and Krishna. Dickinson wrote: “The world of everyday was blotted out as deeper and still more deep I was drawn into that strange exotic paradise of the followers of Vallabha, the devotees of the Radha-Krishna cult.” Art lovers and connoisseurs acclaimed the unique charm of Kishangarh miniatures and their inimitable perfection.
During the brief span of twenty years between 1737-1757 the Kishangarh art was at its zenith. Crown prince Savant Singh (1699-1764) was the guiding force behind the strong devotional fervour at the court and a rejuvenation of painting suffuse with the spiritual yearning of a soul in quest of the Lord. His father Raj Singh was an enlightened ruler and patronized arts and music but only within limits of the royal etiquette. With Savant Singh, however, bhakti became an increasing obsession till he became completely indifferent to his princely status. He wrote devotional poetry under the name of Nagari Das. His hero was Krishna. Not that Savant Singh was not a brave Rajput. He had controlled a mad elephant at the tender age of 10. At 13 he had rallied his forces in support of the Mughal King Farrukhsiyar in Delhi. At 20 he single handedly killed a lion. But his heart was not in it.