Six artists, including Padma Shree Jai Prakash, Babulal Marotia, Hari Narayan Marotia, Nand Kishor Verma, Priya Gupta and Ami Doshi, have come together for the Treasures Of India exhibition that is a curation of miniature masterpieces at Mumbai’s Jehangir Art Gallery.
While Ami is from Mumbai, Priya resides in Shimla and Jai Prakash is from Delhi. The rest of the artists are from Jaipur. Through the paintings exhibited at the gallery, one will get a glimpse of the fascinating world of miniature art that thrives on precision, dedication and storytelling. Indian craft and culture come to life in each of these paintings.
At the inauguration: (from left to right) Babulal Marotia, chief guest Maneck Davar, Priya Gupta, Ami Doshi and Jesal Doshi. |
Hari Narayan Marotia has been doing miniature paintings for the last 40 years. He learned the craft from his father and has been practicing it since the age of 10. “My father introduced my three brothers (all national award winners) and me to this craft. Now, we are carrying forward the lineage and teaching our children about it.”
According to him, each painting takes a few months, depending on the detailing; sometimes the work can go up to a year as well.
Hari Narayan Marotia with his miniature artwork that depicts the seven wonders of the world |
According to Hari Narayan Marotia, several older artists of miniature paintings stopped practicing post-COVID and started pursuing other professions. As for the few who are left behind, the challenge is that the compensation doesn’t do justice to the dedication, effort and hard work that goes into creating a miniature painting.
The response to the show has been fabulous, and Mumbaikars have been really impressed with the artwork on display. “People come up to me and want to know the brush I use. They can’t believe the detailing that goes into each work,” says Hari Narayan Marotia, who also got the magnifying glass and let a bunch of art enthusiasts take a closer look at his work reflecting the seven wonders of the world. “Sometimes it is hard to miss the details if you don’t look through the eyeglass,” he says.
Hari Narayan Marotia explains his painting to the eager crowd, (right) Ami Doshi with her work that inspired by Radha-Krishna’s love story |
Ami didn’t study art; she is an engineer who took up painting as a hobby. Giving a glimpse of how she got initiated into miniature paintings, she says, “My parents wanted me to pursue science, and for the longest time, I fought it. Later, after I got married, I went to Kangra to learn miniature art. I was there for a few months and realised this is what I really wanted to do.”
One thing led to the other, and then Ami went to Udaipur and continued learning art. “I found a guru, and would be at his home to learn from morning to evening. The process was amazing.”
Ami travelled and had a baby, but she continues doing her paintings. Most of her paintings at the exhibition lean towards Radha-Krishna, and she considers herself very fortunate to showcase her art with such renowned artists. “Miniature painting requires a lot of patience. There is depth; it’s not easy to do this kind of painting,” she says.
The artists interact with Chief Guest Maneck Davar |
What’s the future of miniature art? Will AI find a place for itself in the art world? “I don’t think so,” says Hari Narayan Marotia. “I feel the future is going to be a golden period for us. There are very few artists working with miniature art; the older artists have given up, and the next generation is not too keen.
“Earlier, we’d train for 2-3 years with a guru without any monetary compensation. Today, the new generation wants to know how much they will make. However, this has resulted in creating a demand for existing artists who are still into miniature painting. There is demand, but very few people to make this kind of art.”
“For artists like us, there will always be opportunities, and there will be people who are willing to spend on the best artwork,” he adds.
Treasures Of India will be on display till November 3, 2025, at the Jehangir Art Gallery from 11 am to 7 pm.
