What they are
- Kishangarh school (Ajmer district, 18th c.): court atelier style crystallised under Maharaja Savant Singh (Nagari Das) and master Nihal Chand; iconic idealised female profile “Bani Thani” (elongated eyes, arched brows, pointed nose/chin).
- Udaipur / Mewar school (Udaipur, 17th–18th c.): Rajput tradition patronised by the Sisodia rulers; vivid palettes, strong architecture/landscape and courtly/ritual scenes; a very large corpus survives in the City Palace Museum, Udaipur collections.
Materials & making (what drives quality)
- Ground & tools: handmade wasli paper (laminated, then burnished with agate/crystal for a glass-smooth surface) + ultra-fine squirrel-hair “kalam” brushes.
- Pigments & finishes: natural/mineral colours (including gold) typical for Mewar; fine linework, layered shading (prataj), and post-paint burnish give the signature jewel-like finish.
Regional signatures (what’s uniquely “Kishangarh” vs “Udaipur/Mewar”)
- Kishangarh: idealised physiognomy (the “Bani Thani” type), lyrical Radha-Krishna and court scenes, cool palettes with panoramic grounds; style formation credited to Nihal Chand under Savant Singh.
- Udaipur/Mewar: saturated colours, emphatic greens and architectural depth; broad thematic range (court, festivals, hunts, epics). City Palace Museum maintains one of the largest curated Mewar miniature collections (2,000+ works referenced in press).
Product formats you can procure
- Original miniature paintings (single works or themed series/folios) on wasli, sometimes with gold; museum-inspired contemporary works are common.
- Related categories (adjacent but distinct): large devotional Pichvai panels at nearby Nathdwara (not the same as miniatures, but often supplied by the same ecosystem). (If needed we can scope this in a separate brief.)
HS codes & export basics
- HS 9701 = “Paintings, drawings and pastels, executed entirely by hand; collages & similar decorative plaques.” Use this for original miniatures (not for printed reproductions or hand-decorated manufactured articles).
- India market context: Handicrafts exports were ₹31,095 crore (US$3.8 bn) in FY24 (macro context for craft categories). Within fine-art trade specifically, HS Chapter 97 exports from India were ~US$169m in 2023 (UN/TrendEconomy synthesis).
Compliance & risk (what to check before you ship)
- Antiquities restriction: exports of works ≥100 years old fall under The Antiquities & Art Treasures Act, 1972—permits/NOCs apply; new works (contemporary miniatures) are generally exportable under HS 9701 with standard docs.
- Classification hygiene: ensure invoices/certificates clearly state “original painting, executed entirely by hand on paper (wasli)” (avoid mis-classifying hand-decorated goods). Customs explanatory notes/rulings back 9701 for hand-executed artworks.
- Provenance & IP: keep artist attribution and commission paperwork; avoid reproducing museum works without rights when making prints.
- Packing/condition: acid-free interleaves, corner protectors, rigid boards, climate-conscious packing; include condition report and photographic inventory (industry good practice).
Quality & buyer-side strengths
- Micro-detail + archival technique → collectible value and strong storytelling for premium décor and gallery retail. (Technique lineage & materials as above.)
- Regional authenticity (atelier history, iconography) → brandable provenance:
Quick sourcing checklist
- Origin & school: “Kishangarh-style miniature” or “Mewar/Udaipur miniature.” Attach 1–2 reference images and agree artist attribution format.
- Materials: wasli, natural/mineral pigments, gold (if any), squirrel-hair brush work; request studio process note.
- Size & framing: finished sheet size and margins; framing un/installed (HS 9701 remains valid framed or unframed).
- Documentation: invoice wording for HS 9701; contemporary date of creation to avoid antiquity queries; artist certificate.
Logistics: flat-pack with archival wraps; humidity buffers; condition photos; insurer approved packing notes.
