Mughal Painting: History and Key Figures

• Mughal painting started in the 16th century and lasted until the mid-19th century in the northern Indian subcontinent.
• It mixed indigenous, Persian, and European themes, creating a blend of Islamic, Hindu, and European visual culture and aesthetics.
• Mughal paintings combined Rajasthani and Persian styles, with ornamentation and border decorations influenced by Persian styles.
• Mughal patrons influenced the style with artistic preferences, subject choices, philosophies, and aesthetic sensibilities.
• Key figures of the Mughal era involved in the paintings:
  • 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 from present-day Uzbekistan, blended Persian and Central Asian cultural backgrounds and aesthetics.
• Babur's autobiography, Baburnama, are narratives of his political career and artistic interests and shows his love for the Indian land and ecology.
• Babur was interested in art and mentioned the artist Bihzad in his autobiography.
• Babur died in 1538 AD.

Miniature Painting under Humayun

• In 1530, Humayun succeeded Babur.
• In 1545, Humayun established a court in Kabul.
• Humayun brought Persian artists Mir Syed Ali and Khwaja Abdus Samad to his royal court and established a court studio.
• He founded the Nigaar Khana, a painting workshop that was part of his library.
• Humayun started the illustration project of HAMZA NAMA.
• The paintings depicted ancestral members of the Mughal dynasty, with a remarkablly Persian, format, theme, figures, and color palette
• Humayun died in 1555 AD.

Miniature Painting under Akbar

• Akbar (1556-1605) succeeded Humayun and continued the court studio started by Humayun.
• Over two hundred painters from both Muslim and Hindu communities worked in the first Mughal atelier.
• Akbar's projects included HAMZA-NAMA, which consisted of 14 volumes with 1400 illustrations and TARIKH-E-KHANDAN-E-TIMURIYAH and BABUR-NAMA.
• AKBAR NAMA, an extraordinary manuscript detailing Akbar's political and personal life, was one of the most expensive projects undertaken by Akbar.
• Also translated Indian epics like Harivamsam, Ramayana, and Mahabharata into Persian.
• Govardhan, Miskin, Ramdas, and Jagnath were well-known painters in Akbar's atelier.

Miniature Painting under Jahangir

• Jahangir (1605-1627) succeeded Akbar and had a love for art and nature.
• The time of Jahangir is known as the golden period of Mughal miniature painting.
• Prince Salim was known as Jahangir.
• TUZUK-I-JAHANGIRI tells of Jahangir's interest in arts and efforts to achieve scientific correctness in rendering flora and fauna.
• Akbar's war scenes, portraits, narrative, and storytelling were overtaken by minute details, refined rendering of court scenes, aristocracy, royal personalities, character traits, flora, and fauna.
• Portrait painting became very popular.
• Famous painters of Jahangir were Ustad Mansur and Abul Hasen.
• An excellent painting is Jahangir in Darbar from JAHANGIRNAMA, attributed to Abul Hasan and Manohar (1620).

Miniature Painting under Shah Jahan

• Shah Jahan (1628–1658), was the son of Jahangir,
• Jahan encouraged artists to blend imagination and documentation.
• Idealisation and great stylisation were preferred over naturalistic rendering.
• PADSHAHNAMA is one of the most painting projects that reflects the height of Indian miniature painting.
• Shah-Jahan had a passion for architecture and commissioned the Taj Mahal, Jama Masjid, and Red Fort.
• Faqirullah Khan was a well-known painter in Shah-Jahan's atelier.

Decline of Mughal Miniature Painting

• The reign of Aurangzeb marked the end of Mughal miniature painting, in the early 18th century
• Aurangzeb's strict Islamic beliefs led to the decline.

Main Features of Mughal Miniature Painting

• Mughal miniature painting is a mixture of Rajasthani and Persian styles.
• Ornamentation and border decoration were Persian.
• Persian calligraphy was vividly written.
• Portrait painting became popular.
• Crowded scenes were composed.
• Golden and silver colors were used.
• Male characters dominated the paintings.
• Birds and animals were drawn with detailed realism.
• The paintings are realistic in nature and depict perspective.
• The painting is secular, connecting Hinduism, Christianity, and Islam.

Krishna Lifting Mount Govardhan

• The artist of the painting is Miskin.
• The School is Mughal and sub school is Akbar.
• Watercolour on paper for the medium and tempera as technique.
• Theme of this painting is from Bhagwat Puran.
• Krishna is lifting mount Govardhan to save the people of Gokul from the anger of Indra.

Falcon on Bird - Rest

• Ustad Mansur is the artist
• The painting belongs to Mughal school.
• Watercolour on paper for medium and tempera as technique.
• Falcons painting was gifted to Jahangir by Shah Abbas emperor of Persia
• Jahangir asked Ustad Mansur to paint the falcon to preserve it in Jahangirnama.
• Wording on the painting are "Jahangir Pat Swaha"at the top, Bahari means falcon and Uttam means excellent.

Kabir and Raidas

• Ustad Faqirullah Khan is the artist.
• The school is Mughal and sub school is Shah-Jahan.
• Watercolour for medium and tempera for technique.
• The painting shows the saints Kabir and Raidas with secular attitue of Mughals.

Marriage Procession of Dara Shikoh

• Haji Madni is the artist
• School - Mughal school
• Sub school- Provincial Mughal (Awadh) school
• Watercolour as a medium and tempra as technique.
• Showcases the marriage procession of Dara Shikoh, the elder son of Shah-Jahan.
• Fireworks are depicted in the painting's background.