The early Pahari  paintings of the mid-17th century were in the Basholi style. The Basholi paintings were characterized by strong use of primary colours  (red, mustard yellow and blue) and by faces with receding foreheads and great expressive eyes, shaped like lotus petals.  Apart from clothing, which was borrowed from the Mughal paintings, the Basholi paintings had adopted new and individual styles and themes.  The most popular theme of Basholi painting was from Bhanu Datta’s Rasamanjari, which was profusely used by the renowned Basholi artist Devi Das in 1694-1695 AD. Other favourite themes include love of Madhava-Malati, Radha-Krishna episodes and the Bhagavata Purana. The artists also had a fondness for the portraits of the local rajas in plain white garments. The prominent portraits of many-headed Shiva and many-armed Durga reflect a strong Indian elements. These paintings bear resemblance to the Rajasthani and Malwa paintings.  This style of painting spread to the other hill states of Mankot, Nurpur, Kulu, Mandi, Suket, Guler and Kangra. A good collection of Basholi paintings is found in the Dogra Art Museum, Jammu.

Guler State was famous as the cradle of the Kangra paintings. Guler style painting constitutes the early phase of Kangra Kalam. About the middle of the eighteenth century some Hindu artists trained in Mughal style sought the patronage of the Rajas of Guler in the Kangra Valley. There they developed a style of painting which has a delicacy and a spirituality of feeling. The drawing in Guler painting is marked by liquid grace and precision. The colours which emphasize cool blues and greens are handled with skill. Guler artists had the colors of the dawn and the rainbow on their palette.

Of the hill states Guler has the longest tradition in the art of painting. During the rule of Raja Dalip Singh (1645–1743) artists were working at Haripur Guler. However it was during the reign of Govardhan Chand (1743–1773) that an active school of painting developed at Haripur Guler. There are numerous portraits of this Raja in the Chandigarh Museum.[5] Govardhan Chand's son Prakash Chand (1773–1779) continued the patronage of artists. His son Bhup Chand (1790–1826) also had artists working under him. Painting in Guler continued right up to the close of the 19th century.

The art of Guler style painting flourished in families with distinguishable styles and techniques, most significant amongst them were that of Pandit Seu of Guler, who died in about 1740, and his sons, the remarkable Nainsukh and Manaku. Later while Manaku worked at Guler, Nainsukh migrated to Jammu.

Like most hill capitals, Chamba has a large ground. The most outstanding buildings are the palaces of the Raja. Of these the Rang Mahal (Painted Palace), which looks like a feudal castle is the most interesting. It was built by Raja Umed Singh in the mid 18th century. There is one room whose walls are painted with murals depicting episodes from the Ramayana and the Bhagavata Purana in bright red and blue. Raj Singh (1714-1794) was one of the most renowned rulers of Chamba, and the rise of painting in the Guler-Chamba style was due to his patronage.
Chamba paintings are quite similar in appearance to Mughal style of paintings, with strong influences of Deccan and Gujarat style also. The Chamba paintings are very authentic and informative social documents of the history of those times. The Chamba paintings also derived inspiration from natural surroundings and are remarkable in their composition. The Chamba style is similar to that of Guler paintings as numerous artists of this school came from Guler.
The paintings of Chamba encompass both miniatures and murals. Chamba is famous for the miniature Pahari paintings. Raja Udai Singh and Raja Jai Singh patronized this school of painting. During the reign of Raja Charhat Singh, this school of art got a further boost from folk art as the common people adopted the form.
Mughal influence is also discerned in these paintings. The themes used in this style of paintings were religious, such as legends of Radha Krishna, lord Shiva-Parvati, Rama Darbar, Yashoda and Krishna etc. Romantic ambiences of the rainy season in Chamba have also been painted in various moods and styles, in Basholi colors by the artists of Pahari miniature art.All paintings are courtesy of Art of Legend India.

The coming of painters from the Mughal court in the second quarter of the 18th century led to a complete transformation of the existing Basholi style of paintings and the birth of Guler-Kangra style of paintings. This late Pahari style of paintings first appeared in Guler and then in Kangra.  Raja Goverdhan Singh (1744-1773 AD) of Guler was an early patron of this art form. The Kangra paintings reached their maturity during the reign of Maharaja Sansar Chand (1775-1823 AD).  These paintings are marked by their liquid grace and delicacy.  Fattu, Parkhu and Khushala were important painters of the Kangra style.  Many themes like the Bhagwata Purana, Gita Govinda and the Sat Sai of Nala-Damayanti were portrayed in these paintings.  Another subject of the Kangra paintings was the “Twelve Months”, in which the artists tried to bring out the effect of seasons round the year on the emotions of human beings. The Kangra style is by far the most poetic and lyrical of Indian styles, says art historian J. C. Harle. His favourite subject here is "the idealization of woman, in flowing sari, head half-covered with a shawl, demure but stately, passionate and shy". In many cases the works of the Kangra School are accompanied by the texts inscribed in the Nagari characters. The Kangra style became well entrenched in the Hills and many offshoots emerged in the regions like Kullu, Nurpur, Chamba and Mandi. The Bhuri Singh Museum in Chamba is best known for its exquisite collection of the Pahari miniatures. This genre of painting continued till late in the 19th century, after which it declined in its importance. 

The early Pahari  paintings of the mid-17th century were in the Basholi style. The Basholi paintings were characterized by strong use of primary colours  (red, mustard yellow and blue) and by faces with receding foreheads and great expressive eyes, shaped like lotus petals.  Apart from clothing, which was borrowed from the Mughal paintings, the Basholi paintings had adopted new and individual styles and themes.  The most popular theme of Basholi painting was from Bhanu Datta’s Rasamanjari, which was profusely used by the renowned Basholi artist Devi Das in 1694-1695 AD. Other favourite themes include love of Madhava-Malati, Radha-Krishna episodes and the Bhagavata Purana. The artists also had a fondness for the portraits of the local rajas in plain white garments. The prominent portraits of many-headed Shiva and many-armed Durga reflect a strong Indian elements. These paintings bear resemblance to the Rajasthani and Malwa paintings.  This style of painting spread to the other hill states of Mankot, Nurpur, Kulu, Mandi, Suket, Guler and Kangra. A good collection of Basholi paintings is found in the Dogra Art Museum, Jammu.

Guler State was famous as the cradle of the Kangra paintings. Guler style painting constitutes the early phase of Kangra Kalam. About the middle of the eighteenth century some Hindu artists trained in Mughal style sought the patronage of the Rajas of Guler in the Kangra Valley. There they developed a style of painting which has a delicacy and a spirituality of feeling. The drawing in Guler painting is marked by liquid grace and precision. The colours which emphasize cool blues and greens are handled with skill. Guler artists had the colors of the dawn and the rainbow on their palette.

Of the hill states Guler has the longest tradition in the art of painting. During the rule of Raja Dalip Singh (1645–1743) artists were working at Haripur Guler. However it was during the reign of Govardhan Chand (1743–1773) that an active school of painting developed at Haripur Guler. There are numerous portraits of this Raja in the Chandigarh Museum.[5] Govardhan Chand's son Prakash Chand (1773–1779) continued the patronage of artists. His son Bhup Chand (1790–1826) also had artists working under him. Painting in Guler continued right up to the close of the 19th century.

The art of Guler style painting flourished in families with distinguishable styles and techniques, most significant amongst them were that of Pandit Seu of Guler, who died in about 1740, and his sons, the remarkable Nainsukh and Manaku. Later while Manaku worked at Guler, Nainsukh migrated to Jammu.

Like most hill capitals, Chamba has a large ground. The most outstanding buildings are the palaces of the Raja. Of these the Rang Mahal (Painted Palace), which looks like a feudal castle is the most interesting. It was built by Raja Umed Singh in the mid 18th century. There is one room whose walls are painted with murals depicting episodes from the Ramayana and the Bhagavata Purana in bright red and blue. Raj Singh (1714-1794) was one of the most renowned rulers of Chamba, and the rise of painting in the Guler-Chamba style was due to his patronage.
Chamba paintings are quite similar in appearance to Mughal style of paintings, with strong influences of Deccan and Gujarat style also. The Chamba paintings are very authentic and informative social documents of the history of those times. The Chamba paintings also derived inspiration from natural surroundings and are remarkable in their composition. The Chamba style is similar to that of Guler paintings as numerous artists of this school came from Guler.
The paintings of Chamba encompass both miniatures and murals. Chamba is famous for the miniature Pahari paintings. Raja Udai Singh and Raja Jai Singh patronized this school of painting. During the reign of Raja Charhat Singh, this school of art got a further boost from folk art as the common people adopted the form.
Mughal influence is also discerned in these paintings. The themes used in this style of paintings were religious, such as legends of Radha Krishna, lord Shiva-Parvati, Rama Darbar, Yashoda and Krishna etc. Romantic ambiences of the rainy season in Chamba have also been painted in various moods and styles, in Basholi colors by the artists of Pahari miniature art.All paintings are courtesy of Art of Legend India.

The coming of painters from the Mughal court in the second quarter of the 18th century led to a complete transformation of the existing Basholi style of paintings and the birth of Guler-Kangra style of paintings. This late Pahari style of paintings first appeared in Guler and then in Kangra.  Raja Goverdhan Singh (1744-1773 AD) of Guler was an early patron of this art form. The Kangra paintings reached their maturity during the reign of Maharaja Sansar Chand (1775-1823 AD).  These paintings are marked by their liquid grace and delicacy.  Fattu, Parkhu and Khushala were important painters of the Kangra style.  Many themes like the Bhagwata Purana, Gita Govinda and the Sat Sai of Nala-Damayanti were portrayed in these paintings.  Another subject of the Kangra paintings was the “Twelve Months”, in which the artists tried to bring out the effect of seasons round the year on the emotions of human beings. The Kangra style is by far the most poetic and lyrical of Indian styles, says art historian J. C. Harle. His favourite subject here is "the idealization of woman, in flowing sari, head half-covered with a shawl, demure but stately, passionate and shy". In many cases the works of the Kangra School are accompanied by the texts inscribed in the Nagari characters. The Kangra style became well entrenched in the Hills and many offshoots emerged in the regions like Kullu, Nurpur, Chamba and Mandi. The Bhuri Singh Museum in Chamba is best known for its exquisite collection of the Pahari miniatures. This genre of painting continued till late in the 19th century, after which it declined in its importance.