Shringara of Shrinathji: From the Collection of the Late Gokal Lal Mehta
Amit Ambalal and Vikram Goyal
₹8455₹9500(11% off)
ISBN 13
9789385360862
Binding
Hardbound
Language
English
Year
2022
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of previously unpublished miniature paintings of the Pushtimarg tradition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 poemsongs), 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 lavish, high-quality photographic
reproductions of these beautiful paintings in this volume. Introducing
the readers to the visual world of the Pushtimarg as well as the spirit of
Nathdwara, this publication in a special boxed edition will be of interest
for collectors and general public alike.
Amit Ambalal is an eminent contemporary Indian artist whose work
forms part of prestigious collections in India and abroad including
the British Museum and Victoria & Albert Museum, London. He has
also authored the landmark volume Krishna as Shrinathji: Rajasthani
Paintings from Nathdvara (Mapin, 1987) on the subject of Pushtimarg
and Nathdwara paintings and recently written the Foreword to In the
Service of Krishna (Mapin, 2019).
Vikram Goyal, founder of Viya Home, is one of India’s leading product
designers, committed to the preservation of indigenous practices and
the country’s cultural heritage. Recipient of multiple design awards, he
is also co-founder of Kama Ayurveda, a wellness brand dedicated to
promoting the benefits of Ayurveda. Goyal is the eldest grandchild of
late Gokal Lal Mehta, whose collection is featured in this book.