- Pre – historic Bhimbetka cave painting.
- Vatsyayana in his book Kamasutra.
- References to art of painting in the Brahmanical and Buddhist literature through representation of the myths and lore on textiles, known as Lepya Chitra.
- The play, Mudrarakshasa by Vishakhadutta, facilitated the reader by mentioning the names of various paintings or patas.