History

The Changing World of Visual Arts

Question:

Why did the scroll painters and potters come to Kalighat? Why did they begin to paint new themes?

Answer:

The scroll painters and potters come to Kalighat in the hope of new patrons and new buyers of their art. After the 1840s, a new trend was visible within the Kalighat artists. Living in a society where values, tastes, social norms and customs were undergoing rapid changes, Kalighat artists responded to the world around, and produced paintings on social and political themes.

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The Changing World of Visual Arts

Q 1.

Why did some artists produce cheap popular prints? What influence would such prints have had on the minds of people who looked at them?

Q 2.

Describe the paintings done by Robert Ker Porter on the battle of Seringapatam.

Q 3.

What were the three categories of Imperial Art?

Q 4.

In what way did the British history paintings in India reflect the attitudes of imperial conquerors?

Q 5.

What were ˜company Paintings'?

Q 6.

Why do you think some artists wanted to develop a national style of art?

Q 7.

Point out which of the following were brought in with British art:
(a) oil painting (b) miniatures (c) life-size portrait painting (d) use of perspective (e) mural art

Q 8.

Write a brief note on Kalighat paintings.

Q 9.

Describe European artist's style.

Q 10.

Give a brief sketch of Thomas Daniell and his paintings.

Q 11.

1. Fill in the blanks:
(a) The art form which observed carefully and tried to capture exactly what the eye saw is called _________.
(b) The style of painting which showed Indian landscape as a quaint, unexplored land is called _________.
(c) Paintings which showed the social lives of Europeans in India are called _________.
(d) Paintings which depicted scenes from British imperial history and their victories are called _________.

Q 12.

What are miniature paintings?

Q 13.

Why did the scroll painters and potters come to Kalighat? Why did they begin to paint new themes?

Q 14.

Describe in your own words one painting from this chapter which suggests that the British were more powerful than Indians. How does the artist depict this?

Q 15.

Why can we think of Raja Ravi Varma's paintings as national?