Pahari

One of the two main schools of the Rajput style of Indian miniature painting, the other being Rajasthani, with which it is closely allied in terms of technique and subject matter. This one is geographically based in the Himalayan foothills, stretching from Jammu to Garhwal. The area it covered was smaller than that of Rajasthan so it is more likely that artists traveled in search of work. While two main schools, Basohli and Kangra, are often identified by scholars, there are numerous other regional idioms. In many cases, a classification based upon ateliers and families may be more appropriate since regional schools are difficult to distinguish. The sack of Dehli in 1739 and subsequent collapse of Mughal power forced artists to seek patronage elsewhere; these artists brought about the further refinement of Pahari painting, particularly in regards to realism. Pahari painting is considered the last vital Hindu art form before the neutralizing effect of the West was felt in the nineteenth century. Pahari painting, like some other Rajput painting, shows a preference for depicting the legends of the cowherd god Krishna.