Jaipur is the capital city of Rajasthan. Jaipur marble statue is the art of creating 3d figures from marble by cutting. The cultural richness and the architectural wonders of the city make it a glorious tourist place. Marble design of Jaipur is examples of the artistic richness of India. These marble artists of Jaipur make some of the most beautiful, precise and intricate design works from simple statues to severe collectibles. Marble articles include figures of gods, marble chess board, the animal statues, roman structures, marble furniture and some decorative items. Jaipur marble articles are recognised throughout the world for their elegance and beauty. Detail and deep carving of these sculptures make them a distinctive appearance which can add up to the beauty of any surrounding they are placed in.

History

Marble is used for design sculpture and architecture from ancient times. The old forts and palaces in India have incorporated marble extremely extensively in building structures and performing the decoration of the structures. Use of precious stones along with marble is also used to give an elegant look to the structures. Most of the ancient temples in India have used marble for construction. The walls of temples are partially or fully decorated with these carved marble patterns. The doors and windows of the historical monuments in India are found to be decorated with carved shapes of plural patterns. A number of shrines can be found in the courtyards of these temples. The pillars of these shrines are also beautifully covered with decorative marble art works. This type of construction was in fashion in 11th century AD to 13th century AD.

During the Mughal reign, the art of marble sculpture saw it peak time. Mughal emperors have a great taste for architecture, art and craft. The red stone used in red fort was replaced by marble to make elegant structures inside the red fort like Diwan-e-Khaas, Diwaan-e-Aam and Moti Masjid. The most significant change in the construction was started by shah jahan who used marble in every building very extensively. Hence the palaces and temples of Rajasthan are typically made up of white and red marble. The iconic Taj Mahal is the proof of relationship of Mughal for the marble sculptures. It is entirely made up of white marble. The walls and ceilings of Taj Mahal are covered with the writings of Quran engraved on marble. Apart from these engraved writings, the taj mahal also has beautifully decorative pieces of Pietra Dora which uses precious stones beautifully placed on marble slabs producing elite shapes and designs. Many other places like Shalimar case of Kashmir and the tombs of Mughal rulers have used marble to a great extent. This makes marble an integral part of Indian art and sculpture.

Process

The development of a marble structure is very delicate task and it takes a high degree of expertise and skill to carve a beautiful marble sculpture. The process starts with the selection of the right stone for carving. A carver may use his imagination to carve a figure or he might use a reference model to copy it on the stone. Mostly the artists prefer to begin with making a model of clay or wood and then try to copy it in stone.

When he is ready to carve, the artist starts with peeling off the large unwanted chunks of the stone. A long pointed and hefty chisel is used for this purpose along with a mallet. This is the roughing out stage of the stone. The strokes should be chosen very carefully as a little miscalculation can ruin the quality of the stone hence hamper the beauty of final sculpture.

Once the general shape of the structure is obtained then other tools like toothed chisel and claw chisel are used to refine the work. These tools are generally used for adding texture to the figure. Gradually the sculptor has attained the rough general shape of the final figure. Now the sculptor uses tools like rasps and riffles to enhance the shape of the figure and giving it its final form. A riffle is a steel tools used from removing excess of stone from the figure in the form of small chips and dust. The riffle is a smaller version of rasp which used for the detailing of the structure. Finally the sandpaper is used for polishing the sculpture giving it a beautiful smooth and elegant look.

The art of Jaipur marble sculpture is century’s old and transferred from one generation to another. The use of traditional tools and techniques to carve a marble stone in to a beautiful structure has preserved the heritage of this ancient art. There is a high demand for handmade Jaipur marble articles all around the world.