Mughal Painting

Mughal paintings evolved during the reign of various Mughal Emperors in India. These paintings emerged from the Persian art of miniature painting with Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain influences, and were generally done as miniatures either as book illustrations or as solitary works. Battles, legendary stories, hunting scenes, animals, royal life, mythology, and other subjects were frequently depicted in the paintings. These paintings are also called the Mughal School of Painting. This art form grew in popularity to the point where it was adopted by other Indian courts.

Background

• Miniature painting has been developing in many places since the 10th century, and it flourished in numerous regional courts throughout the Sultanate of Delhi.
• When Humayun, the second Mughal emperor, returned from exile, he took two renowned Persian artists – Mir Sayyid Ali and Abd al-Samad – with him.
• These artists were Persian and they created several notable paintings, the ‘Khamsa of Nizami,’ based on Humayun’s commands is one such.
• These paintings varied from the traditional style of Persian art, and so a new art form known as ‘Mughal Painting’ was established.

Jahangir painting by Govardhan