Kangra

Kangra painting flourished under the patronage of Raja Sansar Chand of Kangra, who ruled from 1775 to 1823 and assembled the finest painters from across the hill kingdoms.

The Kangra school developed from the broader Pahari miniature tradition, absorbing artists from declining Mughal ateliers. The distinctly Kangra aesthetic — softer, more lyrical, more focused on romantic emotion — emerged under Sansar Chand's patronage.

Today it is practised in the Kangra valley and in Dharamsala, with artists trained in the tradition through institutions and master-apprentice relationships.

Kangra miniatures are created on handmade paper using natural mineral pigments and gold. Figures are drawn with sensitivity and delicacy — faces refined, almost idealised, and the treatment of nature exceptionally poetic.

Characteristic features include elongated eyes, slender figures, lush natural settings, soft colour harmonies of green, blue, and pink, and compositions that use negative space with great sophistication.