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Paintings
 In the University Museum of Srinagar,
Garhwal, rich collection of Garhwal paintings is displayed along with
many sculptures and findings from archaeological excavations. Garhwal
was always considered a safe heaven for wanderers, adventurers,
political sufferers, philosophical thinkers and nature lovers and is
famous for Mughal style of paintings introduced by a Mughal Prince.
History of Garhwal School of Painting
A Mughal Prince, A.D. Suleman Shikoh, took refuge in Garhwal, about the
middle of the 17th century. The Prince brought along with him an artist
and his son who were his court painters and well versed in the Mughal
style of Miniature painting. After nineteen months, the Prince left
Garhwal but his court painters enchanted by the environs, stayed behind.
These painters settled in Srinagar (Garhwal), the then capital of the
Pawar dynasty and introduced the Mughal style of painting in Garhwal.
With the passage of time, the successors of these original masters
became expert painters and also developed an original style of their
own. This style later on came to be known as the Garhwal School of
Painting.
The masterpieces of the Garhwal School of Painting include the following
- Illustrations of Ramayana (1780 AD)
- Celebrations of Balarama's birthday (1780 AD)
- Series of Raginis
- Shiva and Parvati
- Utkat Nayika
- Abhisarika Nayika
- Krishna painting the feet of Radha
- Radha looking into a mirror
- Varsha Vihar
- Kaliya Daman
- Illustrations of Gita Govinda |
