Painting During Mughals

Painting During Mughals:

Though the foundation of Mughal Painting was laid by Humayun, it reached full maturity during the seventeenth century. Humayun and his son, Akbar, took lessons from two foreign artists- Mir Sayyid Ali and Khwaja Abdus Samad. They were commissioned in the preparation of Dastan-i-Amir Hamza, better known as Hamzanama. The work consisted of nearly 1200 paintings drawn in bold and vivid colors. Akbar employed many Indian painters like Daswant, Basawan, and Kesav. The work of the celebrated painter Daswant is to be found in the Razmnama. According to Abul Fazl, Basawan was excellent in the drawing of features and in portrait painting. ‘Mughal painting came into existence in the imperial studios in direct response to the predilections of Akbar the Great, and in the seventeenth century, of Emperor Jahangir’.

Mughal painting reached a climax under Jahangir. Special progress was made in portrait painting and painting of animals, flowers, etc. Under Jahangir, the painters adopted many European religious motifs and symbols.’The color schemes of the paintings in Jahangir’s time are more subdued and naturalistic.’ Shah Jahan patronized painting, but ‘he lacked Jahangir’s aesthetic sense in this field’. Shah Jahan’s production ‘displays an extravagant use of richness in decorative details and colors.’ The compositions become static and symmetrical, the color heavier, the texture and ornament more sumptuous.’ The reign of Aurangzeb hastened the process of decadence in painting.

Some of the regional centres in Rajasthan and central India developed their distinctive styles. Though the impact of Mughal painting was visible, Rajasthan developed a different style.

‘The Rajput art is a feudal as distinct from a court art and the many Rajput schools in their intimate sophisticated, spontaneous and traditional ways, painted for the delight of the princely patrons.’

The Rajasthani style developed several distinct schools. The school of Mewar is the most important, producing pictures of considerable power and emotional intensity during the 17th century. The school of Bundi appearing at the end of the 16th century is distinguished by a more refined line and a love for vivid, rhythmic movement. The school of Marwar which produced works of exceptional quality in the 18th century, is characterized by strong, dazzling colors. The school of Kishangarh is filled with lyrical mysticism in one of great charm and finesse.

The Pahari style is another important school of miniature painting prevalent in the former principalities of the Himalayan foothills. The earliest Pahari paintings are marked by bold color and vigorous drawing. The latter phase of the Pahari style is called the Kangra style after the state of that name. The Kangra style is characterized by a sentimental and lyrical mood, smooth rhythms, and cool and refreshing colors.

The Deccani style evolves as a combination of foreign and indigenous elements. Important work was done under the patronage of Ibrahim Adil Shah II (1580-1627) as well as by the powerful sultanates of Golconda and Ahmadnagar. In the 18th century, Hyderabad, the capital of the Asaf Jahi dynasty, became a vigorous centre of the painting.