CLASS 12 : FINE ARTS

UNIT : 2 - MUGHAL SCHOOL OF MINIATURE PAINTING

ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT

Mughal painting, a style of miniature painting that emerged in the northern Indian
subcontinent in the 16th century and continued until the mid-19th century, was
characterized by its sophisticated techniques and diverse subjects. It amalgamated indigenous,
Persian, and European themes, resulting in a sophisticated blend of Islamic, Hindu, and
European visual culture and aesthetics. The Mughal school of miniature painting, a new style
developed by the Mughals, combined Rajasthani and Persian styles, with general ornamentation
and border decoration influenced by Persian style. The Mughal patrons contributed to the
style's growth, with their artistic preferences, subject choices, philosophies, and aesthetic
sensibilities.

• Babur (1526)

• Humayun (1530 -1555)

• Akbar (1556 - 1605)

• Jahangir (1605 - 1627)

• Shah - Jahan (1627 - 1658)

• Aurangzeb (1658 - 1707)

MINIATURE PAINTING UNDER BABUR

In 1526, Babur, the first Mughal emperor, came from present

day Uzbekistan and was a descendent of Emperor Timur and
Chatghtai Turk. With this, he blended the cultural background
and aesthetic sensibilities of Persia and Central Asia.
Babur’s detailed accounts in BABURNAMA, his
autobiography, are narratives of the emperor’s political carrier
and artistic passion. Baburnama reflects the love and
fondness that Babur had as an outsider for the Indian land
and ecology.He had great interest in art. He has mentioned the
name of great Persian artist Bihizad in his autobiography

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 Babur-nama. Babur was died in 1538 A.D.

MINIATURE PAINTING UNDER HUMAYUN

Babur was succeeded by his son Humayun in 1530, ,

Humayun established his court in Kabul in 1545.Babur’s son
Humayun brought two great Persian artist Mir Syed Ali and
Khwaja Abdus Samad to his royal court. He established a
court studio under the guidance of these two Persian artists.
He founded the Nigaar Khana (painting workshop), which was
also a part of his library.
He started project of illustration of HAMZA NAMA.
Open air painting with trees and blossoms, and royal
merrymaking, which depicts the ancestral members of the
Mughal dynasty were followed after Humayun. The format, theme, figures and colour palette
are remarkably Persian.
He was died in 1555 A.D.

MINIATURE PAINTING UNDER AKBAR

Akbar (1556-1605) was the successor of Humayun. He established the court studio started
by Humayun. More than two hundred painters both from
Muslim and Hindu community were work in the instruction of
Mira Syed Ali and Khwaja Abdus Samad in the first Mughal
atelier.
The projects Akbar took first are the HAMZA-NAMA (started by
his father, The painted folios of Hamza Nama are scattered all
over the world and housed in various collections. It is recorded
to have consisted of 14 volumes with 1400 illustrations and
took nearly 15 years to be completed) , TARIKH-E-KHANDAN-
E-TIMURIYAH and completed the BABUR-NAMA.
AKBAR NAMA, an extraordinary manuscript, containing a
detailed account of Akbar’s political and personal life, was one of the most expensive projects
undertaken by Akbar.
He also translated the great Indian epics Harivamsam, Ramayana, Mahabharata( known
as “Razm Nama”) and Panchatantra in Persian language.

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 Govardhan, Miskin, Ramdas, Jagnath were some of the well known painters of Akbar’s
atelier.

MINIATURE PAINTING UNDER JAHANGIR

Jahangir (1605-1627) was the successor of Akbar. He was the

great lover of art and nature. The Mughal miniature reached a
high level of excellence in the period of Jahangir. Jahangir period
is known as the golden period of Mughal miniature painting.
Prince Salim came to be known as Jahangir—the World
Seizer once he acquired the Mughal throne after his return from
Allahabad. TUZUK-I-JAHANGIRI, the memoirs of Jahangir, tells
about his great interest in arts and his efforts of achieving
scientific correctness in the rendering flora and fauna that
interested the Emperor the most.
The war scenes, portraits, narrative and storytelling prevalent in
Akbar’s style were overtaken by minute details and refined rendering of lavish court
scenes, aristocracy, royal personalities, as well as, character traits, and distinctiveness
of flora and fauna.
Portrait painting become very popular during his period.
Famous painter of Jahangir court were Ustad Mansur and Abul Hasen. “ Jahangir in
Darbar’’ from JAHANGIRNAMA, attributed to Abul Hasan and Manohar (1620) is an
excellent painting

MINIATURE PAINTING UNDER SHAH - JAHAN

The son of Jahangir, Prince Khurram, succeeded the throne

of Delhi by the name Shah Jahan (1628–1658).
Jahan encouraged the artists in the atelier to create
magnificent works that were a blend of imagination and
documentation. Idealisation and great stylisation were
preferred over naturalistic rendering and accurate
depiction.
PADSHAHNAMA (The Chronicles of the King) is one of the
most exuberant painting projects undertaken by his court
atelier and reflects the extraordinary manuscript that
presents the height that Indian miniature painting achieved.

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 Shah-Jahan had a great passion for architecture. Some of world's renowned architecture
and monuments commissioned by him. The Taj Mahal in Agra, Jama Masjid and Red
fort in Delhi, Salimar Garden of Lahore and he renovated the Lahore fort.
The court studio continued to produce an excellent and refined miniature paintings during
Shah-Jahan period. Ustad Faqirullah Khan is one of the well-known painter of Shah-
Jahan’s atelier.

DECLINE OF MUGHAL MINIATURE PAINTING - DURING

THE REIGN OF AURANGZEB

The Mughal school of miniature painting came to stop because of

the supremacy of Aurangzeb the successor of Shah-Jahan. As
he was a fanatic Muslim, so no fine art could find a place in his
royal court. Finally the glorious period of Mughal miniature come
to an end in early 18th century A.D.

MAIN FEATURES OF MUGHAL MINIATURE PAINTING

1. Mughal miniature painting is a mixture of Rajasthani and Persian style of painting under
Mughals.
2. It was an Indian style but general ornamentation and border decoration was a Persian style.
3. Persian calligraphy was vividly written on these paintings.
4. Portrait painting of individuals and in group is become more popular during Mughal period.
5. Composing crowded scene including too many forms and figure are an important feature
of Mughal miniature painting.
6. Use of mixing colour along with golden and silver colour is also another important
characteristic.
7. Mughal miniature painting is male dominated in character because of the Pardah system, so
the female figures are very less painted in Mughal paintings.
8. Drawing of birds and animals with detailed realism and rendered with proportion of their
anatomy and movement are beautifully shown.
9. Mughal miniature painting is very realistic in nature and depiction of prospective is another
important characteristic.
10. Mughal miniature painting is secular in nature which connect Hinduism, Christianity
along with Islam.

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 PAINTINGS

(very important table)

KRISHNA LIFTING MOUNT GOVARDHAN

Artist- Miskin

School - Mughal School

Sub school- Akbar School

Medium- Watercolour on paper

Technique- Tempera

Description-

This painting is based on the theme of Bhagwat

Puran. In this early painting from Akbar’s atelier is
shown Krishna is lifting mount Govardhan in his
left hand to save the people of Gokul from the anger
of rain god Indra.

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This vertical painting is covered with a huge mountain around flora and fauna as dear, monkey,
trees and green grasses are painted beautifully on the rocky mountain. Below of the mountain
all folks of Brij are gathered along with their cattle.

Blue is the dominant colour of this painting. Lord Krishna is painted in large sized, dressed in
pitambar and a large garland of white flowers is on his neck. He is standing in tri-band posture.
Krishna is lifting the huge mountain effortlessly.

Collection- Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, U.S.A.

FALCON ON BIRD – REST

Artist- Ustad Mansur

School- Mughal School

Sub school- Jahangir School

Medium- Watercolour on paper

Technique- Tempera

Description-

Jahangir was a keen falconer and treasured fine

specimens of falcon brought from different places. A
superb falcon was gifted to him by Shah Abbas
emperor of Persia. The falcon was killed by a cat and
Jahangir asked to his best painter Ustad Mansur to
paint this falcon to preserve in Jahangirnama. The
falcon is painted in a great realistic manner with all
details.

The falcon is painted in white against yellow background with brown details of its folded wings.
It’s sharp beak and round eyes are painted with white, brown and yellow ochre.

The three words Jahangir Pat Swaha at the top, Bahari near the falcon and Uttam at the bottom
of the painting is written in Devnagri character. Here the Bahari means falcon and Uttam
means excellent.

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Collection- National Museum, New Delhi

KABIR AND RAIDAS

Artist - Ustad Faqirullah Khan

School - Mughal School

Sub school - Shah-Jahan School

Medium- Watercolour on paper

Technique- Tempera

Description-

This painting is shows the two

prominent saints of that time Kabir
and Raidas. In this horizontal painting
saint Kabir is painted sitting beside his
hut and weaving on his loom. His companion saint Raidas sitting close to him and both are lost
in deep discussion on spiritual subject. The painting brings the subject of peaceful life in Indian
villages, where work and worship is go together with hand to hand.

The hut of saint’s and the landscape represents brilliant Indian village. The colours used are
shades of brown and border of the painting is blue in colour. The prospective has been carefully
applied and the hut, the background is depicted brilliantly. This painting is showing the secular
attitude of Mughals.

Collection- National museum, New Delhi

MARRIAGE PROCESSION OF DARA SHIKOH

Artist- Haji Madni

School- Mughal school

Sub school- Provincial Mughal (Awadh) school

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Medium- Watercolour on paper

Technique- Tempera

Description-

This magnificent painting of all times is a

masterpiece of Mughal miniature. It is a vertical
painting depicting of marriage procession of Dara
Shikoh, who was the elder son of emperor Shah-
Jahan. Dara Shikoh is riding on a decorated horse
while his father Shah-Jahan is also riding another
horse just behind to him. He is followed by three
attendants; one is bearing a candle, second one
holding the horse and third one holding a flywhisk.
A large gathering of men and women, who were
joyfully receiving the Barat.

Dara Shikoh and bride’s relatives are wearing the

coloured clothes decorated with golden border. The
men and women accompanied the Barat are shown riding on horses and elephants on far
distance near the horizon. the figures are decorated beautifully. The marvellous depiction of
various types of fireworks can be seen in the background.

White, red, green, mauve, golden brown and turquoise blue with a touch of gorgeous black
colour used in this painting. This fabulous marriage of Dara Shikoh was investing a cost of
rupees 32 lacks. The half of this amount was spent by his elder sister Jahannara Begum. Dara
Shikoh was get married to Nadira Begum in 1633.

Collection- National museum, New Delhi

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