Correct Option
The correct option is 2 and 3 only.
Explanation
In medieval India, paintings and illustrated manuscripts were not static objects confined to a single location. They were highly mobile commodities that circulated through diplomatic channels, trade routes, and religious networks, facilitating the exchange of artistic styles and themes across different regions.
Statement-wise Analysis
- Statement 1 is Incorrect: Paintings were frequently exchanged as diplomatic gifts, parts of dowries during matrimonial alliances, or as tokens of friendship between rulers. They were not strictly confined to their place of origin. The movement of art was a standard practice in courtly culture.
- Statement 2 is Correct: Due to the practice of exchanging art as gifts or through matrimonial alliances between Rajput states, it was common for paintings from one school (e.g., Mewar) to be found in the collection of a ruler from another region (e.g., Bundi). This mobility contributed to the hybridization of styles seen in Rajasthani painting schools.
- Statement 3 is Correct: Paintings, particularly portable ones like scroll paintings and illustrated manuscripts, traveled extensively with pilgrims, monks, and traders. These groups carried religious and secular art to remote regions, spreading visual vocabularies and narratives across the subcontinent.
Key Takeaway: Medieval Indian paintings were mobile cultural objects, circulating via diplomatic exchanges, trade, and pilgrimage, which allowed for the cross-pollination of artistic styles between different kingdoms and regions.