The Deccan

miniature
Painting UNIT- 2
PRESENTED
BY
SHYAM KUMAR
Topic to be covered…

 Introduction
 Origin and Development
 The Style and theme
 Phase of Deccan art
 The First Phase ( Bijapur)
 The Second Phase ( Golkunda)
 The Final Phase ( Ahamadnagar )
 Sub-schools of Deccan School of art
 Bijapur Golkunda Ahamadnagar Hyadrabad Tanjor School of Art
 Specialities of the Style of Deccani Art
 Characteristics of the Deccan School
 Study and appreciation of the following Deccan Painting
 Ragini Pathamsika - sub-school ( Ahamadnagar )
 Chand Bibi Playing Polo ( Chaugan ) sub-school ( Golkunda )
 Hajrat Nizamuddin Auliya and Amir Khusro – sub-school ( Hyadrabad )
Introduction
 1.Art the time of Aurangzeb many of the artist left
the place and settled in Deccan are and started a
new style of painting.
 2.Because we are not aware about any painting of
Deccan in pre Mughal period .
 3. In the starting it was purely a Deccan but in the
later time period it has great influence of Mughal
School
Origin and development
 The deccan miniature painting had its beginning 16th to 19th
century
 The deccan miniature painting development and
Bijapur ,Ahamadnagar , Golkunda and Hyadrabad
 These independent states have their own distinct geographical
and historical identity known as Deccan
 Deccan has its own distinction in art culture, dramatics,
linguistics, social values, costumes, religious beliefs , thoughts
and ideas .
 The style and themes in Deccan miniatures are an
amalgamation of various art elements and influences,
especially the elements of early indigenous art traditions of
the Deccan and the Islamic idiom of Iran, Persia and Turkey.
EARLY PHASE OF DECCANI ART
 Early phase evolved at the Adil Shahi court of Bijapur in the
beginning of the 16th to century. In 1489-90 A.D
 An Iranian immigrant, Yasuf Adil Shah, a solder rising to the
height of a shah, founded at Bijapur the Adil Shah rule
 On his invitation, several Irani, Parsian and Turkish painters,
calligraphers and scholars came to his court.
 Skilled in Islamic art-style, these immigrating artist rendered
paintings on pure Islamic themes and in a pure Islamic idiom.
 It was an Indian art only to the extent that it was rendered on
Indian soil.
 The art of those Islamic painters was confined to text
illumination.
 A number of descendants of Yusuf Adil Shah had a great
fascination for art and patronized artist
 Today ,except for for a few illuminated copies of the Holy
Quran or its Surahi and those of the legends like Anwar-i-Suhali
and Yusuf-Zulekha of the period of Quli Intab Shah,none of the
works rendered under them is now available.
 In these Deccan works, the art of painting had a role confining
to text illumination and decoration .
 Blue, red and pink , the chosen colors of Deccan Art used in
strong tones define this phase .
 Designing patterns have a geometric thrust and tend to be
highly symmetrical
THE SECEND PHASE
 When the leter generations of Muslim rulers of Deccani states,
Bijapur, Golconda , Ahamadnagar and subsequently Hyadrabad
had their roots on Indian soil.
 They did not feel any attraction towards Turkey and Persia.
 They were inclined even to Indian mysticism .
 Besides, the artist they had were mostly local or the local
descendants of earlier immigrants who came from Iran, Persia or
Turkey.
 Thus, the Islamic idom was yet the same but the extraneous
elements had been Largely replaced by the indigenous.
 The Iiberal attitude allowed depiction of not only Indian subjects
but also of erotic situations.
 THE THIRD PHASE
 In the early 18th century at Hyderabad when another from of
Deccan art came into existence.
 It blended with the romantic fervor of the farmer Golconda
School as well as the stylistic elements and refinement of the
Mughal art.
 After the death of Aurangzeb in 1707 A.D, the glory of the Mughal
court began waning , many of the artist of the Mughal court
migrated to Hyderabad.
 These artist affected the synthesis wherein the Mughal elements
were the latest to amalgamate.
BIJAPUR SCHOOL OF ART
 Patron : Ali Adil Shah ( 1558-80 ) and his successor Ibrahim II
( 1580-1627 )
 Illustration : Najum-al-Ulum ( start of sciences ), preserved in
Chester Butty Library , Dublin in 1570A.D
 This manuscript contain 876 painting .
 The ladies in the illustration are tall and slender and and waring
the south Indian Dresses .
 One of the illustration here shows the ‘’throne of prosperity ‘’
 There is infulance of the Lepakshi mural paintings on the female
depiction of rich colours, the palm trees, animals, men and
women all belong to deccan style .
 Persion infulance shown in paintings.
GOLKUNDA SCHOOL OF ART

 Patron ; Mohammad Quli quta ( 1580-1611 A.D )

 One of the miniature shows the king in his court watching a
dance performance .
 He wears the white muslin coat with embroidered vertical band,
atypical costume associated with the Golconda court.
 Golden color is lavishly used in the painting
architecture ,costume, jeweler, vessels e.t.c.
 Other miniature ‘’ Lady with the many bird ‘’ in 1605 A.D an
illustrated manuscript of a Sufi poem preserved in British
museum , London .
 A young man sitting on a Golden stool and reading a book, both
signed by a certain artist Muhammad Ali in the Boston museum
AHAMADNAGAR SCHOOL OF ART
 PATRON : hussan Nizam Shah ( I ) 1553-65
 Mostely works are done in the praise of nizam and his wife
 Manuscript made in this period is ‘’ Tarif-i-Hussain Sahi ‘’ which is preserved in
Samshodaka Madala, poona.
 Fine example of paintings in this period
Hindola Raga
Portraits of Burhan Nizam Shah II ( 1591-96 )
portraits of Malik Amber 1605
 In one of the example Aking sitting on a throne and attended by number of
women.
 The women appearance is like it belongs to Northern tradition of Malwa.
 Choli and long pigtailed braided and ending in a tassel are the northern fashion.
 Coloured used in the in the painting are rich and brilliant of northern style.
 Persian influence can bi seen in the golden sky and landscape.
HYADRABAD SCHOOL OF ART

 Patron : Mir Qamruddin Khan Nizam Ul Mulk in 1724 A.D

 influence of Mughal School is shown on the paintings .
 Most of the artist here were who migrated from Mughal School at the
time of Aurangzeb .
 A miniature showing Princess in the company of maids in a garden is in
the collection of National Museum, is a typical example of the
Hyderabad school.
 The princess is shown under a canopy.
 In the background are seen trees and a pot of water with aquatic birds .
 The princess is shown under a canopy .
 In the background are seen trees and a pot of water with aquatic bards.
 Typical style of Hayatabad : flowers bed, rich color and Deccan facial
style and costumes can be observed in this.
SPECIALITIES OF THE STYLE OF DECCANI ART
 In its fully develop from , Deccani miniature art stands in merit and
refinement on a parallel footing with the Mughal art
 The rhythmic delicacy of Persia,
 The lush sensuality of the Deccan,
 Three –dimensional aspect of European Art which can be clearly seen
in delineation of buildings .
 Tall, fair complexioned and emotionally charged mails and sensuous
looking females,
 The people are endowed with lovely faces, large wide open eye ,
bold features, broad foreheads, high necks , triangularly slanting
waists and neatly carved figures, each one characterized by
excitement, vigor , moods , sentiments and dramatic intensity
infused into its being.
COLOUR SCHEME
 Brilliant and beautiful colours have been used in deccani
painting
 They are different from the colours of northen paintings style .
 Golden colour has been used largely in the painting where
architecture is shown and also in the costum jeweler, utensil
etc.
 Persion influence
 High horizon, lavish use of golden colour
 The landscape, golden sky
 Some flowering plants and arabesques on the top of the throne
etc. all have Persion influence
MUGHAL INFLUENCE
 In the letter phase ( 17th and 18 ) of deccani style
 Mughal influence was at its peak
 Mughal influence was due to migration of several Mughal
painters to the deccan during downfall of Mughal school of
painting decorative painting
 Deccani painting were mostly decorally .hyadrabad painting
like the flowerbeds, costumes, rich and brilliant colour
 Bold drawing and shading technique use of rich.
 Pure and brilliant colours. Flourshed at tanjore.
Characteristics of the deccani school

 Deccani School continued to develop independently of the Mughal style in the beginning .
 However, later Deccani school have the following characteristics.
 1. The colours under in the painting being rich and brilliant are different form those used in the
northern painting.
 2. The Persian influence can be seen in the high horizon, golden sky and the landscape.
 3. The profuse use of golden colour, some flowering plants and arabesques on the top of the
throne are derived from the Persian tradition .
 Golden colour has been lavishly used in painting the architecture, costume , jeweleres , vessels
etc.
 4. Influence of the Mughal style of painting already existing in early styles of Deccani paintings,
introduced by several Mughal painting who migrated to the Deccani.
 5. Mostly paintings are decorative, a typical characteristic of the Hyderabad Painting like the
flowerbeds, rich colour, the Daccani facial type and costumes can be observed in the miniature.
 Bold Drawings, techniques of shading and use of pure and brilliant colours flourished at Tanjore.
 7. Distinctive feature of the Daccani Painting are observed in the treatment of the ethnic type,
costumes, jewelry , flora and fauna, landscape and colours .
STUDY OF THE MINIATURE PAINTINGS OF DECCANI SCHOOL
RAGINI PATHAMISHIKA
 Painter – Unknown
 Medium –Water colour on paper
 Century – 1590-95 A.D
 Sub- school – Ahamadnagar
 Technique – Tempera
 Collection – National Museum, New
Delhi
 Subject matter – this is a vertical
painting of Pagini Pathamsika.
 It has been drawn from Raga Hans-
Dhwani .
 In this painting artist has shown his
keen attachment to Art which is
found only in the Anwar-e- sunaheli
book .
 Out of them, there is Ragini
Pathamsika.
 This portrait of Ragini Pathamsika of Raga Hindol was painted by an anonymous
painter during the period of 1590 – A.D,
 In Bijapur –Ahmadnagar style with better combination of red , blue , green ,
yellow ( golden ) , black and white colours .
 Based on intonation of Indian music, Ragini Pathamsika of Rag Hindol has been
shown sitting on a seat in the middle of a pavilion , playing on the musical
instrument .
 She , wearing fully decorated blue and transparent white clothes, is sitting in
self- enraptured countenance.
 Two female attendants, in dancing pose, have been shown-one on her right side
and the other on her left side.
 There costumes and form adoring are preferable.
 A toy-elephant and a golden coloured water pot have been shown in front part of
the pavilion beautiful multi-coloured geometrical shapes and a vermilion
coloured dome have have been shown.
 In hind part of the pavilion are two beautiful golden domes and in between them
is a blue dome.
 And two black-coloured domes are also shown.
Name – Chand Bibi Playing
Polo ( Chaugan )
 Painter – unknown
 Medium water colours on paper
 Century- 1750 A.D.
 Sub-school -Golkunda
 Technique – tempera
 Collection – National Museum,
New Delhi
 Subject-matter- this painting is
much later work of 18th century
A.D.
 Impact of Persian delicacy is
evident in the way it is painted .
 This painting depicts the interest
of the royal women of that time
in the field of aports.
 This miniature was painted in Golkunda style by an anonymous
painter in 1750 A.D
 In this picture Chand bibi and three other female players have
been shown playing polo in royal dresses, mounted on horses.
 The dress and horses of all the players have been painted with
different colours.
 In the foreground of the playground has been shown a source of
water in which several white- coloured birds and flowers of red
and blue colours have been shown.
 The hind part of the ground is filled with greenery, and even,
whereas the middle part of the ground where the players,
mounted on horse ,have been shown in playing pose is very
undulating and hilly.
 The players mounted on white and yellow horse are facing each other
and they have been shown trying to control the white ball with their
sticks , whereas the other two women on horses are facing each other
but there is sufficient distance between them.
 All the four horses have been shown hale and hearty and decorated.
 One other play-controlling lady has been shown lifting her hands
upwards.
 In the background, a huge fort and its rampart have been shown .
 In the fort have been shown numerous small and great buildings and
trees scattered here and there.
 The sun has been shown in the sky with yellow colour. In the upper and
lower part of the painting, wide margins with green and yellow colours
have been shown .
 In the middle of the margin in yellow part, has been done calligraphic
work, with black colour,in Persian style .
Name – Hajrat Nizamuddin
Aaliya and Amir Khushro
 Painter – Unknown
 Medium – Water colour on
paper
 Century – 1750-70 A.D
 Sub school - Hyadrabad
 Technique –Tempara
 Collection - National Musium
New Delhi
 Subject Matter – this painting
is based on the discussion
between Hazrat Nizamuddin
Aaliya and Amir Khusro on a
religious subject.
 Amir Khusro was the student
of Niamuddin Aaliya .
 This miniature has been painted with the preference of romantic
elements by an anonymous painter in Hyadrabad style ,during the
period 1750-70 A.D.
 In this picture, Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya , a leading sufi of Delhi,
has been shown in green clothes, tying up a turban around his head,
sitting in a pose of deep thinking .
 Behind his head a yellow- coloured halo in from of the sun has been
shown.
 His white beard is giving him specialitieso.
 In his front side, Amir Khusro, a contemporary famous musician, has
been shown sitting on his knees, playing on a musical instrument.
 The colour of his turban and angvastram ( Angarakha ) is uniform
and he has tide a red – coloured waistband .
 His black beard is the symbol of his being in early younghood.
 Whenever Nizamuddin felt the neeed of romantic bliss, he used to call
Amir Khusro, telepath.
 The courtyaaard, in which he has been shown sitting, has been drawn
in form of thin red strips on yellow colour.
 The courtyard is surrounded on all the four sides with a red- coloured
lattice.
 The front part of the steps has been shown with three-dimensional
effect.
 On both sides of the way, the flowering beds have been made .
 In back side the clear blue sky has been shown .
 On the horizon, the flowering plants have been showbn. Abig tree has
also been shown on which red and yellow- coloured fruits and flowers
have been shown.