Set 1 | Important Indian Paintings MCQs

Correct Answer is D.

• Indian paintings can be broadly classified as the murals and the miniatures.
• Murals are huge works executed on the walls of solid structures. Example: paintings in Ajanta and Kailasanatha temple.
• Miniature paintings are those which executed on perishable material such as paper, cloth, etc. Example: Rajasthani and Mughal miniatures.

Correct Answer is A.

• First discovery of rock paintings was made in India in 1867-68 by an archaeologist, Archibold Carlleyle.
• Remnants of rock paintings have been found on the walls of the caves situated in several districts of Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Telangana, Karnataka, Uttarakhand and Andhra Pradesh.

Correct Answer is C.

• Largest and most spectacular rock-shelter is located in the Vindhya hills at Bhimbetka in Madhya Pradesh.
• Caves of Bhimbetka were discovered by V.S Wakankar in 1957-58.
• Vindhya ranges of Madhya Pradesh contains the richest paintings. These hill ranges are full of Palaeolithic and Mesolithic remains.
• The themes of the paintings found here are of great variety. These include hunting, dancing, music, horse and elephant riders, animal fighting, etc.
• Hand, fist and fingerprints similar to those found on houses in contemporary times are also found.
• Artists of Bhimbetka used many colours including various shades of yellow, orange, white, purple, red orchre, etc. White and red colours were favourite. The paints were made by grinding various rocks and minerals.
• Brushes were made of plant fibre.
• Red colour came from geru(haematite), Green from a stone called chalcedony.

Correct Answer is B.

• Paintings of upper Palaeolithic phase are linear representations.
• Huge Animal figures of bisons, elephants, tigers, boars and rhinos besides stick like human figures are mainly depicted in the paintings.
• Paintings are generally in green and dark red colour.
• They are filled with geometric patterns.

Correct Answer is C.

• During Mesolithic phase, paintings of man, female, children and animals were found. Themes were diverse.
• But Mesolithic artists loved to paint animals. In some paintings, animals are chasing men or they are hunted by men.
• Though the animals were painted in naturalistic style, humans were depicted only in a stylistic manner.
• Women were painted in both nude and with cloths.
• Paintings of children running, jumping and playing.
• Hunting scenes predominate in the paintings of this phase.

Correct Answer is D.

• The paintings of Chalcolithic period reveal the association, contact and mutual exchange of requirements of the cave dwellers of this area with settled agricultural communities.
• Many of time, Chalcolithic ceramics and rock paintings bear common motifs, e.g. cross-hatched squares etc.
• Pottery and metal tools are also shown.

Correct Answer is B.

• Indian Mural paintings are paintings made on the walls of caves and palaces.
• The technique ad process of making Indian wall painting has been discussed in the Vishnudharamotaram, a Sanskrit text of the 5-6^th century CE.
• The process of these paintings appears to have been the same in all the early examples that have survived with the only exception in the Rajarajeshwara temple at Tanjore which is supposed to be done in true fresco manner over the surface of the rock.
• In true fresco method, the paintings are sone when the surface is still wet so that the pigments go deep inside the wall surface.
• Brushes were made up from the hair of animals such as goat, camel etc.

Correct Answer is C & D.

• The main theme of the paintings that are found in Ajanta Caves is the depiction of various Jataka stories, different incidents that are associated with the life of Buddha and the contemporary events.
• The chief binding material used here was glue.
• Centrality is one of the main features.
• Ajanta caves paintings categorised in two ways: In 2^nd century, specimen in cave no. 9 & 10 and In 5-6^th century, specimen in cave no. 1, 2, 16 & 17.
• A surviving example of Ajanta cave painting, long continuous composition of Shaddanta Jataka along the right wall of the cave no. 10.
• And another one is a beautiful scene of Jataka and is commonly called “the dying princess” in cave no. 16.
• The scenes of Mahajanaka Jataka in cave no. 1.
• The painting of Bodhisattva Padmapani from cave no. 1 is one of the masterpieces of Ajanta painting executed in the late 6^th century CE.