Pahari paintings
Amélie Couvrat Desvergnes is a paper and book conservator and researcher. For two years, she studied and conserved 134 Indian drawings and paintings from the Wereldmuseum in Leiden. In this global narrative, she talks about the conservation process and about ‘master drawings’ – models for magnificent paintings found in museum collections around the world.
Bright colours, charcoal and squirrel-hair brushes
The Wereldmuseum in Leiden has a fine collection of 134 drawings and paintings from the ‘Punjab Hills’ (now Himachal Pradesh in India). These drawings and paintings are usually referred to as ‘Pahari miniatures’ and were produced between the 17th and 19th centuries.
The drawings and paintings depict a wide range of themes, such as Hindu literature, folk poetry, and portraits of rulers and historical figures. They illustrate the history and traditions of the region and showcase Indian techniques and crafts.
Step by step
You can clearly see how a composition is created in a series of drawings from the Ramayana epic, produced in Kangra around 1800 and now held at the Wereldmuseum in Leiden.
Curious to find out how these paintings and the ‘master drawings’ in the collection are created? Then read on.