Important Indian Paintings MCQs. Indian Paintings are an integral part of Indian Art and Culture, which is extremely beneficial for various examinations such as Civil services, State exams, SSC, Railways, Banking and other One day exams. It provides a great opportunity to gain knowledge about the country’s history in order to excel in these competitive fields. Objectives on Indian Art and Culture for competitive exams.
MCQs on Indian Paintings – Objective Questions and Answers
Q1. Indian paintings can be broadly classified as?
[A] Murals
[B] Miniatures
[C] None
[D] A & B
View Explanation
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.
Q2. Who was the first archaeologist that discovered rock paintings in India?
[A] Archibold Carlleyle
[B] Robert Clive
[C] Alexander Cunningham
[D] James Burgess
View Explanation
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.
Q3. Paintings of Uttarakhand can be divided into ?
[A] Man
[B] Geometric patterns
[C] Animal
[D] All
View Explanation
Correct Answer is D.
Paintings of Uttarakhand can be divided into three categories- man, animal and geometric patterns in white, black and red ochre.
Humans are represented in stick like forms. Depiction of hand-linked dancing human figures.
Q4. Largest Rock-shelter is found in which state of India?
[A] Karnataka
[B] Tamil Nadu
[C] Madhya Pradesh
[D] Bihar
View Explanation
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.
Q5. How was the representation of the paintings in Upper Palaeolithic period?
[A] Curvy
[B] Linear
[C] Complex
[D] None
View Explanation
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.
Q6. During Mesolithic period, which type of paintings were found at large extent?
[A] Man
[B] Children
[C] Animals
[D] Female
View Explanation
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.
Q7. Which Period shows the association and contact in the paintings?
[A] Lower Palaeolithic
[B] Mesolithic
[C] Upper Palaeolithic
[D] Chalcolithic
View Explanation
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.
Q8. How was the Six limbs of painting known in earlier times?
[A] Shadanga
[B] Collection of styles
[C] Archive
[D] None
View Explanation
Correct Answer is A.
India of the 1st century BCE had seen the evolution of the “Shadanga” or the six limbs of painting which are considered as the prime principles of the art even today.
They have found a place even in Vatsyayana’s Kamasutra.
Six limbs are: Rupabheda(The knowledge of appearances).
Pramanam(Correct perception, measure and structure).
Bhava(Action of feelings on forms).
Lavanya Yojanam(Infusion of grace and artistic representation).
Sadrisyam(Similitude)
Varnikabhanga(Artistic manner of using the brush and colours).
Q9. Technique and process of making Indian wall painting has been discussed in which text?
[A] Bhagyadharamotaram
[B] Vishnudharamotaram
[C] Shaivdharamotaram
[D] None
View Explanation
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 5-6th 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.
Q10. Main theme of the paintings that are depicted in Ajanta Caves?
[A] Love stories
[B] Human sacrifice
[C] Jataka stories
[D] Life of Buddha
View Explanation
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 2nd century, specimen in cave no. 9 & 10 and In 5-6th 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 6th century CE.
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