|| VII. Painting ||

With the rise of Neo Vaisnavism under Sankaradeva, from 16^th century onwards, we get a host of concrete examples that can be called painting in its real sense, that flourished until the last part of the 19^th century. These polychrome paintings, popularly known as manuscript painting, done on sanchipat or tulapat, which also contained written descriptions, have certain independent characteristics of their own and are collectively grouped as The Assam School of Painting.

• Contents

  • Sanchi Puthi - The Assamese Manuscripts
  • The Assam School of Painting
  • Characteristics of the Assam School
  • Manuscripts - The Preparation Process (I)
  • Manuscripts - The Preparation Process (II)
    • The Painter or the khanikar
    • The Scripts used in the Manuscripts

In Assam the word 'manuscript' is almost inextricably bound up with Sankaradeva and his Neo-Vaisnavite Movement. The manuscripts were the vehicle for the transmission of the tenets and ideals of this religio - cultural Movement and it was primarily due to Sankaradeva and his successors that the manuscripts of this land could attain the status of such an vibrant, effective and prestigious media.