Mughal Paintings & Art

Q1. What is special about Mughal painting?

Mughal paintings flourished under the Mughal rulers during the 16th to 19th century CE, as a school of imperially patronized art that blended the elements of Persian and other Islamic art forms with the rich ancient artistic tradition of India and came up with a new idiom of art. Mughal paintings became famous for their diverse themes, use of intricate ornamentation, court scenes, and portraiture which displayed the best of Islamic and Hindu art. 

Q2. Which styles influenced Mughal painting?

Paintings that developed in the Mughal period- 16th to 19th century, are popularly known as Mughal Paintings, and they derived their influence from a vast range of sources such as Islamic, Persian artworks, Hindu paintings, Jaina and Buddhist art and at times European arts. 

Q3. What were the main themes of Mughal painting?

The themes of Mughal paintings were as vibrant as these world-famous artworks of the medieval Indian rulers. Mughal paintings mainly dealt with themes related to the Mughal courts, festivities and events in the royal court and household, legends from Islamic and Hindu traditions, stories and folklore from Persia and India, portraits of rulers, foreign personalities at the court, and flora and fauna.

Q4. What are Mughal paintings called?

Mughal paintings are alternatively called Indo-Persian paintings as they derive inspiration from Indian and Persian culture and Mughal miniatures due to their heavily detailed and small-scale canvases. 

Q5. Which Colors were used in Mughal paintings?

Mughal paintings for their stunning aesthetics used premium quality color obtained from powdering various stones, natural vegetable dyes, and treating metals to get their extracts. These powders were mixed with pastes known as binders, which served as the wet paint to be applied on the canvas. 

Q6. Who started the Mughal style of painting?

The period of the first Mughal ruler Babur, leaves us with no evidence of paintings or illustrations. During the reign of Humayun, the second Mughal monarch is noted to have taken a painter with him when he fled from India and invited Persian painters Mir Sayyid Ali and Abd as-Samad when he reached the court of Shah Tahamasp. Under Humayun, the style of painting that is known today as “Mughal Painting” had not crystalized but we get some instances of paintings that depict exquisite artistic sense. It was under Akbar, the third Mughal emperor, that the techniques and tastes of Mughal paintings were homogenized and patronized, which gave great impetus to the growth of the school of Mughal art. 

Q7. Which element is used in Mughal art?

A distinctive element used in Mughal art and popularized by this exquisite branch of Indian art is the art of calligraphy. Lines from the Quran and other Islamic texts were quoted on the borders of Mughal miniatures, a practice that made it easy to understand the context and aim behind the scene which was being depicted while serving as an intricate decorative element. 

Q8. Where are Mughal paintings kept?

At the time of their production, Mughal paintings were a part of gigantic textual sources being prepared in the royal Mughal library, and played the crucial role of informing the reader while bringing an artistic touch to the manuscripts. In modern times, Mughal paintings are found in museums across the world where art enthusiasts and experts appreciate their beauty and their reproductions are sold in the market, and collectors can get their hands on stunning recreations of Mughal paintings online. 

Q9. When did Mughal painting begin as a style?

Mughal paintings originated in the time of the early Mughal rulers and their style and techniques were consolidated by Akbar in the 16th century. The refined themes and methods of producing Mughal miniatures further grew under the patronage of Jahangir and Shahjahan, both of whom took a personal and keen interest in the art of painting and introduced their styles and tastes in the royal miniatures.