Editing Religious art (section)

== Sikh art ==
{{main|Sikh art}}

The art, culture, identity, and societies of the [[Sikhs]] has been merged with different locality and ethnicity of different Sikhs into categories such as '[[Agrahari Sikh]]s', '[[Dakhni Sikh]]s' and '[[Assamese Sikh]]s'; however there has emerged a niche cultural phenomenon that can be described as 'Political Sikh'.  The art of [[Sikh diaspora|diaspora Sikhs]] such as Amarjeet Kaur Nandhra,<ref>[http://www.artministry.co.uk/services/delta_cms/content/communitygroup.aspx?GroupID=104 Textile artist Amarjeet Kaur Nandhra]</ref> and Amrit and Rabindra Kaur Singh ([[The Singh Twins]]),<ref>[http://sikhchic.com/article-detail.php?id=168&cat=1 Singh Twins Art Launches Liverpool Fest]</ref> is partly informed by their Sikh spirituality and influence.

=== Images of the Sikh Gurus ===
Sikhism was founded in the 16th century by [[Guru Nanak]], who was first painted more than 200 years after he lived. The widely popular portraits of the [[Sikh gurus|ten Sikh gurus]] only appeared in the first half of the 18th century.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Brown |first1=Kerry |title=Sikh Art and Literature |date=1999 |publisher=Routledge |location=New York |isbn=0-415-20288-4}}</ref> One of the first set of paintings of the Gurus were commissioned by [[Ram Rai|Baba Ram Rai]], the eldest son of the seventh Sikh guru, [[Guru Har Rai]].<ref name="Sikh Art">{{cite book |last1=Kaur Singh |first1=Nikky-Guninder |chapter=Sikh Art |publisher=Oxford Academic |title=The Oxford Handbook of Sikh Studies}}{{pn|date=February 2024}}</ref>

Most of the early portraits of the Sikh Gurus were painted in courtly Mughal style. Under the [[Mughal Empire|Mughal empire]], Punjabi artists at the time became trained in the Mughal style of painting, resulting in their work being highly influenced by the Mughal style of art.<ref name="Sikh Art"/> The early portraits of the Sikh Gurus and the elements in them, like their outfits, turbans, and poses, looked similar to Mughal nobles and princes. The Gurus are identified in [[Devanagari]], [[Gurmukhi]], and [[Persian alphabet|Persian scripts]], also composed in the Mughal style.<ref name="Sikh Art"/> In a painting from around 1750, the sixth Sikh guru is depicted in courtly Mughal dress and setting.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Brown |first1=Kerry |title=Sikh Art and Literature |date=1999 |publisher=Routledge |location=New York |isbn=0-415-20288-4 |page=24}}</ref>

One of the first images of [[Guru Nanak]] depicts him as a pious, religious man with simple clothes and a rosary held in his hand, portraying his contemplative nature. The earlier of the ten Gurus have their images modeled on Guru Nanak's piety and simplicity. A transformation can be noticed with the sixth Guru when elements of political resistance and power are added, showing Sikh political struggles at the time. Further, with [[Guru Gobind Singh]], elements of grandeur were added, such as royal attire, precious jewels, elegant shoes, a grand turban, and a warrior-like sword.  

The Gurus are also extensively depicted in the [[Janamsakhis]] ([[Hagiography|hagiographies]] of the Guru). There are many paintings and depictions of Guru Nanak's life, specifically in the B-40 Janamsakhi. He is shown growing up from a little boy to a teenager to a youth, and then into a middle-aged man and eventually an old, wise man.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Kaur Singh |first1=Nikky-Guninder |title=Corporeal Metaphysics: Guru Nanak in Early Sikh Art |journal=History of Religions |date=2013 |volume=53 |page=35 |doi=10.1086/671249 |s2cid=162323904}}</ref> The images also depict many core Sikh values along with the Political and Cultural forces that influenced his life and religion.

=== Sikh Art and Architecture during Maharaja Ranjit Singh's Reign ===
[[Ranjit Singh|Maharaja Ranjit Singh's]] reign (1801-1839) holds prime importance in Sikh history. He was a great patron of art and architecture and sponsored the construction of many magnificent forts, palaces, temples, [[gurdwara]]s, precious jewels, clothes, colorful paintings, minting of coins and luxury tents and canopies.<ref name="OUP Oxford">{{cite book |last1=Kaur Singh |first1=Nikky-Guninder |title=The Oxford Handbook of Sikh Studies |date=2014 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=9780191004117 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7YwNAwAAQBAJ&q=sikh+art |access-date=2023-03-20}}{{pn|date=February 2024}}</ref> The most significant of these were the golden throne built by [[Hafez Muhammad Multani]] and the bejewelled canopy for the [[Guru Granth Sahib]].<ref name="OUP Oxford"/><ref>{{cite book |last1=Kaur Singh |first1=Nikky-Guninder |title=The Oxford Handbook of Sikh Studies |date=2014 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=9780191004117}}{{pn|date=February 2024}}</ref>

[[Ranjit Singh|Ranjit Singh's]] most remarkable contribution was the refurbishment of the [[Golden Temple|Harmandir Sahib]]. He invited skilled architects, artists, wood carvers and other craftsmen to [[Amritsar]] for the renovation. He also hired a technical expert for the gold plating of the [[Golden Temple|Harmandir Sahib.]]<ref name="OUP Oxford"/> The [[Golden Temple|Harmandir Sahib]] is now embellished with semi-precious stones like [[Lapis lazuli|lapis lazulli]] and [[onyx]] along with its [[marble]] walls on the exterior. The walls also boast [[Arabesque]] and [[Kaleidoscope|kaleidoscopic]] designs. The interior is lined with mirrors and colorful glass and its upper part is covered with gilded copper plates.<ref name="OUP Oxford"/>
Besides the [[Golden Temple|Harmandir Sahib]], Ranjit Singh also contributed to the embellishments many other gurdwaras, drawing spectacular imagery from the [[Guru Granth Sahib]], the lives of the Gurus and the [[Janamsakhis]].<ref name="OUP Oxford"/> He also contributed to temples and mosques, with one of the most significant ones being expensive silver doors at a Hindu temple of [[Kali|Goddess Kali]]. Under Maharaja Ranjit Singh, cities like [[Lahore]], [[Amritsar]], [[Multan]], [[Sialkot]], [[Srinagar]] and [[Patiala]] thrived as centres of the arts.<ref name="OUP Oxford"/>