Indian art of painting and decorating is greatly influenced by the architectural history of the country. Paintings from India have been inspired by the various historical monuments of the country like Batacs (monumental works of art), Jantar Mantar (colossal stone buildings), Panch Mahal (the main house of India’s most famous maharajah), Humayun’s Tomb, Qutub Minar ( UNESCO World Heritage Site), Red Fort and Lotus Temple. Painting forms in India also include a famous abstract style of painting called Madhubani. Madhubani means “colored paint”.
Madhubani art form is related to painting Madhubani style cave paintings of North India. Madhubani can be classified into three types: dry-point, semi-gloss and gloss. Dry-point Madhubani has subtle highlights of color that create a feeling of being full or weightless. This type is widely used in miniature paintings, card prints and wall tapestry.
Semi-gloss Madhubani paintings have more of an opaque color, which gives a sense of depth. Gloss Madhubani paintings are highly valued for their beauty and rarity. They represent a taste of luxury prevalent among the elite class in India. Indian art of painting has been greatly influenced by the ancient architectural forms and styles of Madhubani .