Miniature paintings present a very fascinating and varied history of its evolution and achievements. The earliest known miniatures were painted on palm leaves in Eastern India between the 10th and 12th centuries. Earliest known miniatures were painted on palm leaves in Eastern India and Tibet beween 10th and 12th centuries. Western Indian Jain miniature paintings developed with a remarkable record and spread over five centuries (1100-1600 c). The best paintings belong to the transition period (1350-1450 c.), when paper was substituted for palm leaf. These are distinguished by the smallness of size, decorative figures and short -statured men and women with angular faces, pointed noses and protruding eyes. Earlier miniatures show a brick red background and simple colour scheme. From the 15th c onwards we find a use of blue and golden colour on a lavish scale. The outline is picked in red and colours employed are gold, yellow, black, white, blue, green and pink. Many illustrated manuscripts were produced during this period. Some of them are Kalpasutra and Kalakacharya Katha, Balagopalastuti, DurgaSaptasati, Vasanta -Vilas and RatiRhasya. Paintings from Mandu Kalpsutra have typical Jain colours, ultramarine and Indian red gives the most decorative appeal to paintings of the coronation of Mahavira. The Pala style depicts supple naturalism.
The Mughals brought this art of miniature paintings from Iran. Shahnama, the Book of Kings of Iran, was composed by Quasim Mansur. The title of the book was ‘Firdausi’ – ie. ‘Heaven’. Mansur composed sixty thousand couplets for Shahnama and completed this work in 30 years. Furdosi Shahnama was written in Persian and tales of valour of the fifty kings of Iran. Each of the fifty chapters high light the glory and achievements of the kings. It also throws light on the social customs, traditions, feasts, festivals and cultural aspect of Iranian life.
Although Islamic footholds in India were made as early as the first half of the 10th century, it wasn’t until the Mughal Empire that one observes emperors with a patronage for the fine arts. Emperor Humayun, during his reestablishment of the Delhi Sultanate in 1555, brought with him Mir Sayyad Ali and Abad Samad, two of the finest painters from Persian Shah Tahmasp’s renowned atelier.
Mughal school flourished under three emperors Akbar(1556-1605), Jahangir (1605- 1627), and Shahjahan (1627- 1658).During their time there were number of artists both Hindu and Muslim along with two Iranian painters named Mir Sayyad Ali and Abdus-Samad The result was that a new style emerged mixing Hindu and Muslim elements with those of Iran.
Mughal paintings reveal a classical greatness, rich style and distinctive inspiration. They present a very fascinating and varied history of its evolution and achievements. The best paintings belong to the transition period (1350-1450 c.).
Mughal Miniature Paintings
Mughal school flourished under three emperors Akbar(1556-1605), Jahangir (1605- 1627), and Shahjahan (1627- 1658). Their paintings reveal a classical greatness, rich style and distinctive inspiration. There are number of artists both Hindu and Muslim along with two Iranian painters named Mir Sayyad Ali and Abdas-Samad The result was that a new style emerged mixing Hindu and Indian Muslim elements with those of Iran.
Minute details, general finish, mixing of colours and bold execution distinguished these paintings from the stylised Persian paintings and gradually became more and more Indian in feature and expression. Among the illustrated works, the Dastan-i-Amir Hamza was a massive work. Other works are Laila Majnu, Dhabnamab, Khamsa of Nizami, Razmnamab, Mahabharat, Babarnamah and Akbarnamah. Basawan, Daswanth, Nanha and Bihandas were some of the most famous painters of Akbar’s court. Early Mughal art is purely masculine and the activities of women never recorded.
Pahari Miniatures
Pahari miniature paintings belong to the hills of Rajput states of Punjab hills extending from Tehri Garhwal in the east to Jammu in the west. The art of miniature paintings was brought to the Punjab from Mughal and Rajput states and along the way it collected the tradition of both schools. Various schools grew up in the region differed according to the states that fostered them. The important centers of Pahari paintings are Basohli, Gular Chamba, Jammu Nurpur, Bilaspur, Mandi, Kullu, and Kangra. Despite political disturbances during 18th and 19th c. the isolated hill states were enjoying their prosperity and attracted many artists who developed a superb sense of composition and expressed their deep feelings for human emotions in a serene and picturesque setting.
From the court art under the Mughals, miniature paintings, by the time it reached the hills, had become a vehicle for expression of the painter’s feelings and beliefs in religion and love. A whole series of miniatures depicting was painted in this area on various incidents from the life of Krishna or one of the great epics. These were not done in any order, but according to the fancy of the artist or his patron. Since they were not meant for book illustration, a few lines of the text is found either on the back or margin of the picture describing the incident depicted.
Apart from mythological depictions the miniatures also featured portraits, and women playing ball, or musical instruments, amusing themselves with birds and animals, bathing, letting fireworks, at their toilets, or playing checkers. Naik Nayika were found in various moods. Heroine occupied a prominent place in Pahari paintings.
Rajasthan Miniatures
Rajasthani Miniatures took root in the first half of the 16th c. and reached a high watermark during the 17th c. and retained the technical perfection and vitality during the 18th c. Rajasthan was divided into princely states of varying sizes and strengths. Between Jain and Mughal periods, the style of painting in these areas formed a halfway house bridging the two schools. Architecture was represented by a small single storey building canopied, with slender pillars. There was folk look to the whole composition and drawing lacked finish and sophistication, but the former stylization was replaced by a new naturalism.
The particular miniatures that are known as Rajasthani miniature came into being only after 17thc, when flourishing Mughal School fused with the existing Jain school to produce a style of its own.
The flourishing ateliers of Mughals had already set a style and local artists in various state, where patronage and distinct art forms already existed, soon produced a new art. The court art of Mughals was assimilated into the predominantly folk art of the area, resulting in paintings which resembled the products of Delhi and Agra. But the Rajasthani artists followed the traditions laid down in the early treatise and imbued each piece he produced with great significance. Each figure, tree or animal became symbol to convey an emotion rather than to depict a mere incident. The surrounding scenery , bird, animal that may be depicted, relate to the figure s and serve to under core the situation rather than to provide a naturalistic background.
Their creative activity span covers a much wider area beyond the political boundaries with Udaipur, Jodhpur, Jaipur, Bikaner and Bundi as principal centers. The outstanding Rajput schools are Mewar, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Bundi, Kishangarh, and Kotah. Kishangarh also produced some of the masterpieces of the Rajasthani miniatures. Almost every court patronized its own artists. The unique richness of warm colours of Rajasthan is unknown in any other school.
Deccan Miniature Paintings
Vindhya mountain divided India into two zones south and north. Deccan- Persian meaning south- has maintained itself as separate entity culturally from north. Deccan forms a confederacy of five kingdoms – Besar, Bidar, Golcunda, Bijapur, and Ahmadnagar became three independent kingdoms of Golconda, Bijapur, and Ahmednagar absorbing Berar and Bidar by them.
In Deccan a distinctive style of painting developed in the court of Bijapur rulers. Nujumal-Ulam (1570 AD) is the earliest example of illustrated manuscripts. The Deccan school combines various elements of Western Indian School and the Persian art. Gradually Mughal influence became more and more prominent. The other important schools of Deccan are Ahmadnagar and Golkunda. Hindu influence in fakirs and sadhus and women was noticeable.
By the end of 18th c. paintings became more ornate, with a distinct penchant for portraiture and harem scenes. Hunting scenes, a favourite of Mughals, are seldom met with. Bijapur and Golkunda artists were influenced by Mughal techniques but their works cannot be compared with that of naturalism, as they were always endowed with mystic and spiritual qualities.
The tradition of wall paintings continued up until the great Vijayanagara Empire.