During the British Raj, the East India Company commissioned Indian artists to paint pictographic landscapes using oil and water colours. These painters were often referred to as the Company school. The components of the new painting at the end of the 19th and early 20th centuries, however, are not outdated. The combination of upper-class and popular elements from the past with contemporary events, and the feeling of discovery of a national identity created paintings which reflected the mood of the times. Apart from the European influences, Mughal, Rajput and Persian miniatures and the contemporary traditionalistic work from Japan were among the artistic and technical determinatives. Abnindranath developed a highly sophisticated style with an inclination towards portraiture. Gaganendranath was a brilliant critic of social and political evils. Nandalal, more of a technical revitalist, became known for his epic themes. Subsequently he developed into a bold explorer of vast fields of Asian art.While developing within the view of nationalism, a few among the more conscious painters discovered the native and simple liveliness of folk forms. The deliberate orientation that was followed in those times continues even to this day. The significant artists belonging to this time were Jamini Ro, Sher -Gill, Benode Mukerjee, and Ram Kinkar. Among the new painters we can mention the names of M .F. Hussain and Krishan Khanna and Satish Gujral.