The Charm of Music

Depiction of feminine beauty in various moods and forms is a contribution of the Bundi style. The woman with all her devotion and emotional intensity is fully reflected in this painting. The artist has represented every turn of her head, every gesture of her hands, and every curve of her body. To him, woman is the most charming creation of God.

Playing the veena, a near perfect example of visual expression to the things which convey hidden feelings. The lady kneels next to a huge bolster playing the instrument. She has a short slender body, a delicate face with a broad forehead, arched eyebrows and almond shaped eyes. Receding chin, as in this miniature, is to be found in the portraits of women painted in the Bundi style. No part of her body is bereft of ornamentation. Her arms are smooth and delicate and her tapering fingers deftly fall over the strings of the bird shaped veena which ends in a stylized leaf. The turning knobs of the veena are strategically placed.

The ground is lightly defined with thin horizontal registers in a wash of green against which precisely painted little tufts of grass are placed. The backgrounds is bare, unstated and the space is left untouched. The maturity and refinement of the line represents the high renaissance of the Bundi School. The color orchestration is subtle. Instead of a very bright spectrum, we get tonalities with restrained use of colored areas. Its composition is remarkable and its execution perfect. The miniature speaks volumes for the style of the school and talent of the artist.

This description by Ms. Renu Rana.