The Pahari Schools of Painting

Nature appears so often in Pahari miniature paintings because the Pahari schools developed in the hilly western Himalayas, where artists were surrounded by forests, mountains, rivers and valleys. The chapter also says that Pahari artists were especially attracted to naturalism and to the beauty of the landscape. In the Kangra style, artists acutely observe the landscape and represent it naturalistically. Nature was therefore not just a background but an important part of the painting language, helping artists create mood, beauty, and emotional depth in themes from Krishna stories, Ramayana, court scenes, and love poems.