Sawant Singh gave patronage to which style ?

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 1:
Raja Sawant Singh (reigned 1748–1757 CE), who adopted the devotional pen name Nagari Das, is universally recognized as the greatest patron of the **Kishangarh** school of painting. His intense personal devotion to Lord Krishna and his muse, a court dancer named Bani Thani, profoundly influenced the art produced in his court. Under his direct patronage, the master artist Nihal Chand created the iconic 'Bani Thani' portrait, which is the quintessential masterpiece of this style. The Kishangarh style is distinctive for its highly romantic and spiritual aesthetic, characterized by elongated facial features, pointed noses, and half-closed, lotus-like eyes, reflecting the idealized, poetic beauty of Radha and Krishna.

The incorrect option is 2:
The Kota school of painting is a major centre of the Hadoti sub-school of Rajasthani art, but it flourished under the patronage of the Maharaos of Kota, such as Maharao Umed Singh I. This style is famously characterized by its dramatic and lively depictions of royal hunting expeditions (*Shikar* scenes), which capture the dense forests, wild animals, and dynamic action of the hunt. This thematic focus on sport and nature stands in stark contrast to the religious and romantic themes that dominate the art sponsored by Sawant Singh. Kota paintings emphasize a different palette and narrative.

The incorrect option is 3:
The Mewar school has its main centre in Udaipur and is considered the earliest and most influential of all the Rajasthani schools. Its primary patrons were the Maharanas of Udaipur, with a golden age under Maharana Jagat Singh I in the 17th century. The Mewar style is known for its strong, vibrant colors, simple and bold compositions, and focus on religious narratives from texts like the *Bhagavata Purana* and *Ragamala*. Its aesthetic language is much more traditional and less delicate than the distinctively poetic style developed in Kishangarh.

The incorrect option is 4:
Bundi painting is another sub-school from the Hadoti region, known for its early and powerful artistic output, primarily patronized by the Hada rulers of Bundi. Its key features include a focus on lush, picturesque landscape backgrounds and the depiction of court scenes with a specific attention to architectural detail and the rich texture of clothing. While sharing a geographical region with Kota, Bundi's style is separate and distinct, lacking the extremely stylized, devotional figures that define the art created for Raja Sawant Singh.