Bani Thani Indian Kishangarh Miniature Painting Handmade Rajasthan Ethnic Art

Regular price $40.00

Bani Thani - Indian Mona Lisa

  • Subject: Indian Miniature Painting
  • Paint Material: Opaque Watercolors
  • Base Material: Stamp paper (unframed)
  • Size: 8 in. wide X 12 in. tall (20 cms X 30.5 cms)
  • Age: Modern Handmade Art
  • Country of origin: India
  • Free Shipping Worldwide & No hassle return

Presenting a striking portrait painting, featuring Bani Thani, in the typical style of the Kishangarh school of Indian miniature painting. Kishangarh is a small town in Rajasthan, India.

Bani Thani was a singer and poet in Kishangarh in the time of Raja Samant Singh (1748–1764), whose wife she became. She adorned herself with exquisite makeup and jewelry to represent her royal stature. Her elegant style got her the name Bani Thani (or a well-decked woman).

In this miniature side-profile portrait painting, Bani Thani portrays big lotus eyes and long arched eyebrows with a sharp nose, chin, and jaw. These features represented an ideal woman’s beauty at the time — a symbol of elegance and grace. She is dressed like a bride with traditional Rajasthani sheer odhni (dupatta or scarf), adorned with gold and pearl beaded jewelry around her neck and on her head, ears, and nose. The veil in the painting is the cultural symbol of a woman’s modesty and honor. The artwork under the Rajputs had a religious character, which is why it is believed that Bani Thani’s portrait was inspired by Radha’s figure. Bani Thani is also seen holding lotus buds in her hand, which symbolizes her purity, an equivalent to the goddess Radha’s purity.

Rich and intricate, this compact composition is also bright, colorful and breathtakingly beautiful. The miniature portrait is so exquisite that it is often referred to as the Indian Mona Lisa.

Don’t miss out on this mesmerizing Indian artwork of Bani Thani. Buy it today.