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June 15, 2025 at 04:28 PM
*🛡️Mughal Paintings*
♟️Mughal painting echoes an elite mixture of Indian, Persian and Islamic styles.
♟️The Mughal paintings are developed during the rule of Mughal Emperors in India (16th to 19th century).
♟️The themes of the Mughal paintings orbited around the battles, court scenes, receptions, legendary stories, hunting scenes, wildlife, portraits, etc.
*💎History*
♟️The earliest example of the Mughal style is the Tutinama (‘Tales of a Parrot’) Painting.
♟️Indian Mughal paintings emerged during the rule of Mughal Emperor, Humayun (1530-1540).
♟️When he returned to India from the outcast, he additionally brought along two eminent Persian artists, Mir-Sayyid Ali and Abd-us-samad.
♟️Mughal paintings of India advanced as well as flourished under the reign of Mughal Emperors, Akbar, Jahangir and Shah Jahan.
*💎Growth of Mughal Painting*
*💎Akbar*
♟️Mughal painting has advanced largely in the reign of Akbar
♟️The paintings are usually based on tales and epics like the Mahabharata, Ramayana and Persian epics.
♟️It also started demonstrating an enriched naturalism, with animal tales, landscape, portraits, etc.
♟️Akbar established a separate department for painting.
♟️He started the concept of Karkhana.
♟️Indian painters were also present in karkhana. That’s why there is Indian influence in the paintings.
♟️Famous painters of that time are Dashwant, Baswan and Kesu.
♟️Most of the paintings during Akbar’s reign were miniature paintings.
*💎Jahangir*
♟️Mughal Emperor Jahangir ruled from 1605 to 1627
He stretched great support to several art forms, specifically paintings.
♟️This era has seen enhancement in brushwork, along with the usage of much lighter and subdued colors.
♟️The main themes of this era’s paintings were revolved around the events from the life of Jahangir’s, along with portraits, birds, flowers, animals, etc.
♟️He also started the portrait paintings.
♟️Decoration of margins started from his time.
♟️He also has his own workshop for painting.
♟️One of the famous painters of that time was Ustad Mansoor.
♟️And famous paintings of that time are zebra, Turkey, and Maulana-do-Pyaza.
*💎Shah Jahan*
♟️The elegance and modification of the Jahangir period were seen at the time of Shah Jahan also.
♟️The themes were musical parties, lovers on terraces and gardens, ascetics gathered around a fire, etc.
*💎Decline*
♟️The trend that was seen amid the season of Shah Jahan was also found under the reign of Aurangzeb.
♟️Be that as it may, the Aurangzeb did not pay too much attention to the development of the Mughal paintings.
♟️The period of Muhammad Shah did experience a short revitalization of the Mughal paintings.
♟️With the onset of Shah Alam II, the art almost became non-existent and alternative school of painting, recognized as Rajput paintings, started developing.
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