Lucknow: The centuries-old miniature painting tradition of the Banaras Gharana was on display at Kokoro Art gallery on Tuesday with the inauguration of ‘MINIATURES: Banaras Gharana’.Curated by Vandana Sehgal, the exhibition was inaugurated by Amrit Abhijat (IAS), additional chief secretary, department of tourism, culture and transport. The exhibition will remain open to visitors from Oct 7 to 28, between 11 am and 7 pm.Titled ‘A Repertoire of Paintings by Generations’, the exhibition brings together 39 works created with natural pigments and traces the artistic lineage across five generations of the Banaras miniature tradition. The works on display represent artists including Ustad Mulchand Prasad, Ustad Ram Prasad, Ustad Sharda Prasad, Ustad Mukund Prasad, Ustad Gopal Prasad and Vansh Shri Yadav. Ankit Prasad said, “The exhibition highlights how the guru-shishya tradition has preserved the technical discipline of Mughal miniature painting while allowing it to evolve through Banaras’ religious, cultural and social landscape.”Fine drawing, delicate brushwork, natural pigments, controlled colour composition and intricate detailing are among the defining features of the tradition. Seventh-generation artist and son of Mukund Prasad, artist Ankit Prasad said, “I have learnt the art of painting and use of colours from my ancestors. I feel truly happy and proud to carry forward my family’s rich artistic legacy and keep its traditions alive.”The Banaras school developed through a lineage linked to Mughal court painting and gradually absorbed local themes, including deities, nature, social life and Indian cultural symbols. Artists such as Mulchand Prasad and Ram Prasad played a significant role in carrying the tradition across painting, murals, illustration and portraiture.
