Deconstructing a Janamsakhi Illustration:

Abstract

It is rightly said that “All art is in part about the world in which it emerged.” As part of a North Indian hagiographic manuscript written in the 19th century, the miniature painting analyzed in this essay depicts a miracle of the founder of Sikhism-Guru Nanak. This essay will deconstruct the visual elements in the watercolor painting and link it to different styles of miniature painting of that period. It will also attempt to answer a fundamental question formulated by French art historian and archaeologist Oleg Grabar– can a work of culture be meaningfully understood through the application of techniques developed outside of it? The dynamism of icons and symbols due to cross-cultural influences is evident through this investigative process.