Kerala

Refers in a general sense to a school of painting from the Kerala region of Southern India. A diverse tradition of wall painting flourished in Kerala from at least the 15th to the 19th centuries; the most extensive and best-preserved can be found at the Mattancheri Palace at Cochin. Important examples from the 18th century include paintings from the palaces of Padmanabhapuram and Krishnapuram. Miniature painting was also practiced in Kerala. 18th-century miniature painters adopted post-Vijayanagara traditions current in south India at the time; their style is characterized by plain backgrounds and expressive line and composition.