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| Empress Noor Jahan Los Angeles County Museum of Art |
If you look at a painting; and the painting is 5x5 inches in size, and if that painting captures your heart: then it would be an Indian Miniature Painting.
The word miniature means small. Small in size. The style of miniature paintings originated in Persia and Turkey. These were the countries wherein the heads of the state helped the artists to grow in their art. Thereafter, with the spread of the miniature art culture on the left and right sides of the countries of its origin, the art entered the land of India, The miniature art of painting migrated to India in the sixteenth century.
The art and the subjects narrated in the art forms always act as a mirror. The mirror of society in general. The artists' works reflect contemporary society: its culture, its habits, its likes and dislike. Even the clothes they wear and the ornaments they like are made the subjects of the artistic representation. The miniature painting movement in India followed the same pattern of representation. It was the style of painting developed during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. During this period, the Mughal Dynasty ruled over most parts of India. And as the Mughal Emperors were the pioneers in initiating this art in India, it was nick-named Mughal Miniature Paintings.
The Origin of Miniature Paintings: Descended from the art of Persia and Turkey, the style of miniature paintings thrived in India. The artists working in this style were financially supported by the Mughal Emperors of India. The Rajput Kings of Rajputana, the northern region of India, had well supported the art in their part of the land.
In many ways, the subjects painted in these paintings are historical in nature. They show how the people of India lived in those days. On a close look, we can see the style of living and the types of costumes and ornaments these people used in the medieval era. The trend continued during the post-medieval period, too.
For those who want to know more about the life of
Indian Princes, Kings and Emperors of those days, here are some painted
details. This article narrates the different aspects of Miniature
paintings.
The golden period of Miniature paintings in India was during the 16th
and 17th centuries. The Mughal Emperor Babur, Humayun, Akbar, Jahangir,
Shajahan and others supported the miniature artists. These artists painted the whole stock of Indian miniature art.
Many Hindu and Rajput kings also supported the miniature artists. such
artists worked at local levels, too.
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Abul Fazl Presenting Akbarnama |
Materials Used in Miniature Paintings: The materials used by the artists
were general self-made. Mainly the material was soft and thin skin, copper
plates and ivory plates. In France and Italy, the artists used metal plates
and ivory as the base material, too. In later years, the paper was also used
for miniature art. The leather used as a base material was the vellum, a fine
parchment made originally from the skin of a calf or smaller creatures.
In earlier times, miniature painters used mostly watercolours as
their medium of painting. The watercolours they used were hand-made. The junior
artists were required to grind the substances and make the colours. The
substances they used for the watercolour were indigo, gold, and precious stones
gathered from all over the Indian subcontinent. They also used
locally-available materials like vegetables, minerals, conch shells and other
materials. The cost of all the materials used was borne by the sponsors of
the artists. The sponsors were the Emperors and the Rajput kings.
The Subjects Of Miniature Paintings: If the subjects painted by the
Miniature Artists of the sixteenth and seventeen centuries were to be listed, the list would be like this:
- The battle scenes of political conquests
- The court scenes wherein important decisions were taken.
- The characters and incidents of Hindu Mythology
- The Gods and Goddess of the Hindu Religion.
- The events of old scriptures.
- The details of the events in the life of Lord Rama and Lord Krishna
- The themes earlier depicted in the Mughal or Persian Miniatures
- The costumes and ornaments of the Emperors and the kings.
- The ornaments and costumes the women of the political families wear
The miniature artists took the local subjects to paint their art. The handy
subjects were the life and events of their sponsor Emperors and the Rajput
kings. The animals like horses, camels and elephants were shown along with
other subjects painted in the frame. In many paintings, these animals were
shown in the scenes of battles, too. The emperors and the kings were fond of
keeping their memoirs, texted and painted. So the artists used those subjects
frequently. The paintings of Mughal women and Rajput princes were also becoming
part of the frames of miniature art.
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| Baburnama, Memoirs of Babur (1483-1530) |
Paintings Depicting Medieval Indian Culture and Lifestyle: Mughal Miniatures,
Jaipur and Rajasthan Paintings
The art of Miniature paintings is a golden page in India’s art history. Though the art got its due recognition with the advent of the Mughal empire in India, miniature paintings had their presence in India long before that era. For the promotion of art at the ground level, the Rajput kings of northern India also contributed their desires and wealth. It is a fact that the Miniature paintings gained wide recognition from the days of Mughal Emperor Akbar.
THE PERIOD: The art of Miniature paintings is a golden page
in India’s art history. It was the time of the sixteenth and seventeen
centuries that made the art of miniature paintings so popular
in India. The miniature paintings depicted the life and lifestyle of
the Mughal and Rajput Kings of the time. The miniatures were painted to narrate
how the princes lived, what they wear and how they fought the wars.
However, the major portions of the artists’ endeavours were devoted to
showing the ways and manners in which these medieval kings and princes enjoyed
their life. Thus these miniature paintings were not only the mute
spectator of their era, but they still are the authenticated witness of the
social and cultural development of medieval India.
THE ART: These paintings are full of subtlety and sophistication. On seeing them, we may wonder how the artists
have displayed their emotions in such a constrained space. And that
too before centuries when there were not enough techniques and colours available.
The paintings of this style, miniature art, are also seen in fragments
of murals in many parts of south India.
The lifestyle of Medieval
India: The people shown in Mughal Miniatures paintings represent the lifestyle of
the Mughal and Rajput periods. Especially the female figures painted in Mughal
Miniatures depict the characteristics of the Indian tradition of the
time. Their ornaments, costumes and the colour of their clothes witness the
class to which they belong. The ornaments like Necklaces, bracelets, and rings
form part of the set adding beauty to the men and women of medieval India.
The people, shown in the paintings, mainly came from the upper class and princely families.
Princes and princesses wearing gold and jewellery were like the mines of
the subjects for paintings, and they used these mines
extensively. Associated almost exclusively with royalty, the jewellery
was, too, the subject for miniature artists to consider before taking brushes
in hand. It was an emblem of power and proof of wealth. While looking at the
Mughal miniatures we can see that they resemble the Persian style of paintings.
It is so because of the artists who did the Mughal era.
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| EMPEROR AKBAR IN HIS COURT |
After the death of Babur, who was a poet and an artist himself, his heirs
carried the artistic journey. The following Emperors Akbar, Jahangir and
Shah Jahan added their vision to transport the cart of art ahead.
The miniature style of paintings practised during this period was clearly
influenced by the style of Persian painters who used an upright format and general
setting with an emphasis on flat aerial perspective.
The Mughal era artists, in the time of King Akbar (1556-1605), maintained
the qualities of Persian style in their work. But they added their vision and
took some freedom. They applied naturalism and tried the depiction of detailed
observation of the world in its immediate surround.
From the day, Emperor Humayun invited two great artists of Persian
miniature painting, miniature art in India started flourishing. Akbar, son
of Humayun, carried forwards the tradition of helping the artist and promoting miniature art.
In addition to the Mughal kings, the Rajput kings who ruled Jaipur and the
surrounding area, too, sponsored the artworks and the artists who did
miniature paintings under various schools of Rajputana. The Rajput kings
helped their artists with money, honour, and with the required materials
for the paintings. For the artists, a set of newly-founds subjects to paint
were emerging. They started painting portraits of Rajput kings, princes and
princesses.
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| EMPEROR AKBAR IN HIS COURT |
Akbarnama, The Book of Secular Art The history of Mughal Miniature paintings is the history of India's medieval period. After the death of Babur, in 1526, there had been turmoil in Delhi the capital of India. But Humayun, the dethroned son of Babar, managed to regain his kingdom. However, at the time of his untimely death, he left his minor son Akbar as king.
Babar was a poet and an artist himself, and his heirs carried the artistic journey. The following Emperors like Akbar, Jahangir and Shah Jahan added their vision and transported the chariot or the cart of the art ahead.
In the above painting, the court of Akbar is shown. He was having a meeting
with religious leaders. Unlike
other Mohammedan kings, Mughal Emperor Akbar was known for his
liberal views about following one’s religion. He regularly held
religious assemblies with the heads of different religions.
In
the above miniature paintings that are a page from Akbarnama, the
two men dressed in black are the Jesuit missionaries, Rodolfo Acquaviva and
Francisco Henriques. This illustration was painted for the Akbarnama,
the Book Of Akbar, a book describing the emperor Akbar's time and
deeds.
COLOURS USED IN MUGHAL MINIATURES: The technique of miniature
paintings requires a high degree of expertise, as this art delicate use of
brushes and paints. The colours used by the artists of the Mughal era
chiefly came from materials like minerals, vegetables, precious stones, indigo,
and conch shells. The painters sponsored by the Emperor used gold and
silver to decorate the paintings, as such luxury was limited to the court painters
only.
The colours mixed with gold and silver were used extensively in the paintings
showing the scenes of princes and other court figures. With the use of not so
rich palette, compared to the colours prepared in modern times, the Mughal
Miniature artists executed their works of art by creating a lively effect and
balanced composition. The painter of the above miniature EMPEROR
AKBAR IN HIS COURT is believed to be Nar Singh and the year was
1605.
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Poet Abul Fazal Presenting Akbarnama to the Emperor |
Akbarnama depicts the Mughal miniature paintings and narration of Emperor
Akbar's life and deeds.
THE ART: Persian painters of the miniature style used upright formats
as their subject of depiction. They emphasized such a position of the figures.
While looking at the Mughal miniatures we can see that they resembled the Persian style of paintings. It is so because the artists who did Mughal era paintings were mainly influenced by Persian paintings. In fact, they were initially trained by two great painters who had come from Persia to India.
These artists tried depicting the detailed observation of the world in
their immediate surround. In that sense, they were like genre painters.
Keen observation of some of the paintings of Akabarnama would speak about the
changed perspective. In the above Miniature Painting, the artist and poet
Abul Fazl present a copy of Akabarnama to Emperor Akbar. The Akbarnama,
meaning the Book of Akbar, is a biographical account of Emperor Akbar’s
life and works. This book is also like a mirror of medieval
Indian culture and art.
Miniature Paintings Depicting Costumes of Medieval India: The main aspect that catches
our eyes is the colourful and costly costumes the people have put on. The
costumes shown in these paintings represent the lifestyle prevalent in the
period of the Mughal Emperors and Rajput kings. Especially the female figures
painted in Mughal Miniatures depict the characteristics of the Indian tradition
of the time.
Miniatures Painting History of India: Miniature paintings were done
by Indian artists for many centuries; we can see some paintings done in the
sixth and seventh centuries, too. But the art of miniature painting reached its
golden period during the reign of the Mughal Emperors. Baburnama, Akbarnama, and
Jahangirnama were booked narrating the heroic deeds of the emperors. Mughal
Miniature Paintings are the pictorial history of India’s Medieval. This style of painting was practised
in India from the 16th to the 19th century. When Emperor Akbar was ruling
in the Indian subcontinent, this art gained its prominence.
Mughal Miniatures: Secular Art of India: In many of the Mughal Miniature Paintings painted during the time of Emperor Babur and afterwards, the artists have taken the love scenes and the scenes of the bravery of Mughal princes as their subjects. Here Emperor Babur is shown hunting. Mughal emperor had been the main sponsor of the miniature art. Despite being a follower of the Islam religion, he kept the art very secular, away from the religious divide. That made miniature art a secular art in India.
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Mughal Miniatures, influencing the Jaipur School of paintings and the Kishangarh School of paintings.
Rajasthan miniature paintings, mainly by the Jaipur school, largely due
to Jaipur’s friendly alliances with the Mughals and the patronage of Akbar in
the 16th century, remained rooted in the Mughal style. But the subjects had
more variety and the artists enjoyed more freedom.
Each school of painting had its own features. For instance, the flowing rivers, dense forests, and lush green fields of the Kota-Bundi region were illustrated and painted in the paintings of these regions. Some depicted hunting, whereas some painted animal fights. Women depicted in these paintings are graceful, with well-proportioned bodies and sharp features. They used bright colours mainly, with red prominently appearing in the background of the art piece.
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| Court of Akbar, Akbarnama. |
Akbarnama: Painting secular Art
of Medieval India: Mughal Miniature Paintings are like a pictorial narration of the
lifestyle of Medieval India. If we are to earmark a golden period in the
history of Indian art of painting, the years during which The Mughal Emperor
Akbar (1556 – 1605) ruled over India would have a sole claim and
strong claim. This was the era when art lovers Emperors and kings of other states
in Rajasthan augmented the pace of development of the art of painting.
The court of Akbar, an illustration from Akbarnama. The spiral composition, with horses defining the outer edges, skillfully draws the viewer's attention to the young emperor (age 13). He is portrayed in a powerful central position from which he exercises his first imperial act: the arrest of an unruly courtier, who was once a favourite of Akbar's father. Besides the court of Emperor Akbar, the other kings of Rajputana and South India, too, joined the movement of art and sponsored the works of artists.
If the above painting is any
evidence, we can say that the miniature paintings done in the
seventeenth century are like the pictorial history of medieval India. The
artworks of this period depict several aspects of the life of the people: the
social norms of living they followed, the costumes and jewellery they wore, and
the lifestyle they practised. Description of the above
painting: Opaque watercolour and gold on paper. Size 14.4 x 20
cm. Designed by Basawan, and painted by Shankar.
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Akabar and Rahim khan, The Poet |
There were forms of art, which were known as Islamic art. But the art of painting that flourished in India was not confined to any religion.
Emperor Akbar had ruled like a real ruler and thus he had behaved not like his
predecessor emperors.
Akbar was an advocate of peaceful coexistence; he had endeavoured to blur the line that divided people into religious segments, namely Hindu and Muslim. His concept of secularism had affected the art to progress making inroads into all sections of society.
The painting given here witnesses
the meeting of Emperor Akbar and the famous poet Rahim Khan, who would be the
leading literary figure in the court. Rahim was known for his faith in all the
religions of India.
The Mughal Miniature paintings were done
in India during the time of the kings of the Mughal dynasty, especially
in the early years. The Mughal dynastic line from Timur to Aurangzeb ruled
major parts of India from 1370 to 1857. But the real rulers were Akbar,
Jahangir and his contemporaries who lived during the sixteenth and seventeenth
centuries. After that period, the Mughal emperors were not much interested in
supporting art, especially, Emperor Aurangzeb.
The paintings done with the sponsorship of the Rajput Kings of Rajasthan
and other regions of India were greatly affected by this style of
miniature paintings. These paintings depicted mainly various activities of
the kings, their wives, and the court people.
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The miniature artists of the Mughal era focused their attention on beauty.
They were much more attentive to the intricacies of the designs of jewels and
drapes, sometimes forgetting the factor of realism that they considered less
important.
Persian painters of the miniature style used an upright format and general
setting with an emphasis on a flat aerial perspective. The Mughal era artists applied naturalism in their work and tried depicting the
detailed observation of the world in its immediate surround. The keen observation
of the above painting would prove this changed perspective.
Mughal Court Paintings provide us with invaluable
information about the life and times of rulers of the period. The paintings
also reflect the contemporary social and political conditions of the people.
Social customs and courtly customs as depicted in these paintings refer to the
social hierarchy, too. In some of the paintings, there is a presence of foreign
ambassadors. That depiction tells us that the Mughal rulers had active trade
relations with other countries.
The Style of Painting used in these miniatures shows technical
advancement, particularly in the fine brushwork. One can see that in some of
the paintings of this era, the compositions are less crowded and the colours
used are more subdued. From examinations of the actors and characters seen
within the frame, we can observe that their movement is much less dynamic. In
the plate given below, the painting represents an image on a flat plane that
results in a strong two-dimensional design.
The period of the three emperors of the Mughal dynasty is considered the golden period
for miniature paintings. These three Emperors were Akbar
(1556-1605), Jahangir (1605-27) and Shah Jahan (1628-58).
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Emperor Akbar was deeply interested in cultural issues, so he helped artists in the field of painting and music. He had arranged employment for more than one hundred miniature painters. These artists illustrated texts like Babarnama and Akbarnama. They have also illustrated the books of the Hindu religion, and the scriptures like Ramayana and Mahabharata.
India was a much wider
country than it is today, and the Mughal Empire covered most of Northern India
and some regions in present Pakistan and Afghanistan.
In the time of Akbar’s reign, the Mughal Miniature painting was secular
art, dealing with court life, durbar scenes and portraits of royal men and
women. They have also painted natural subjects like birds, flowers, animals and
forest scenes. However, the assistants’ preference was tilted towards depicting
the hunting scenes and other daily life scenes of the kings and the princes. It
was also customary for the Mughal Miniature painters to paint the flora and
fauna and love scenes.
This painting depicts a shepherd girl, her name is Radha. From this
painting, we can see the Indian costumes and the lifestyle of women during
the seventeenth century, and the medieval period. [All the images depicted here are in Public Domain, taken from Wikimedia
Commons]
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