Shringara of Shrinathji

In the unique culture of Pushtimarg, a Vaishnava sect founded by Vallabhacharya in the 15th century, art and devotion are deeply intertwined. A captivating volume, Shringara of Shrinathji catalogues a set of previously unpublished miniature paintings of the Pushtimarg tradition from the collection of late Shri Gokal Lal Mehta.

Pushtimarg lays great stress on worship of the deity Shrinathji through the joys of life and living and devotion through kirtan (devotional poem-songs), bhog (offerings of sumptuous food and beverages), shringara (offerings of adornment, through dressing and ornamentation), and decoration and painting. The paintings constitute the Nathdwara school, so named because the image of Shrinathji is enshrined in a temple in Nathdwara, Rajasthan.

The sixty splendid artworks reproduced for the first time in this book were executed during the dynamic stewardship of Tilkayat Govardhanlalji (1862–1934 AD), who was a great patron of the arts. Under his patronage, Nathdwara painting reached its zenith. The collection’s period and the high quality of workmanship make it very likely that this set of Nathdwara miniature paintings were painted by Sukhdev Kishandas Gaur, the mukhia (chief artist) of the temple. Documenting the high degree of skill in draughtsmanship, portraiture and in composition, expositions by artist Amit Ambalal accompany the exceptional, high-quality photographic reproductions of these beautiful paintings in this volume.