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The History of Indian Mughal Miniature Painting


Part - 1


Continuing from my previous article on the Mughal Emperors' enduring love for art, I present here a comprehensive discussion encompassing all relevant historical events and intriguing facts. While certain aspects may appear repetitive, it is necessary to ensure a thorough exploration of this magnificent period in art history.

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Emperor Akbar

Akbar ascended the throne of Emperor during his boyhood, unlike his predecessors Babur and Humayun who were not native to India. This unique background instilled in him a sense of empathy towards India. In 1569, Akbar initiated the founding of Fatehpur Sikri, ushering in a new era in Indian art history. Subsequently, sculptors, masons, architects and artists were commissioned to embellish the walls of Fatehpur Sikri with paintings that resembled miniature editions rather than being influenced by Ajanta paintings. However, contemporaneously running paintings from Udaipur, Jaipur and Bikaner explicitly bore an influence from Ajanta's style and form. 

 

 Paintings were created on sandstone that had been coated with white paint in Fatehpur Sikri. The origin of the white paint is unknown; however, upon closer inspection, it is evident that some of the paintings were executed in an Iranian style while others followed traditional Indian styles. It is clear that multiple artists were commissioned to complete the mural and each individual worked in their own unique style.

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Mir Sayyid Ali, a leading miniature artist.

In such a way, it is conjectured that the consolidation of several races had been made up during the reign of Emperor Akbar, which caused prosperity in art. Mir Sayyid Ali and Abdus Samad were at the forefront among those working artists. At a later time, Mir Sayyid Ali got hold of the post of a royal proctor, and his son was appointed as Amir-ul-Omrah in the royal court of the Mughal Emperor.

 

The murals exhibit a flat style that lacks the traditional Indian dimensionality. The clouds in these paintings are reminiscent of Persian art, and during this era, sculpture and painting were closely intertwined. Evidence of this can be found on the Palace of Sultana's wall base reliefs featuring flowers, trees, and animals. However, there is no connection between the Ajanta, Bikaner, and Udaipur murals and those at Fatehpur Sikri. Ajanta paintings embody Indian spiritual beliefs and Buddhism through a devotee's eyes while Fatehpur Sikri was motivated by decorative illustrations without any spiritual influence. 

The Mughal miniature painting possesses a distinct characteristic that sets it apart from other Indian styles and forms, indicating that the origin of this art form is not in India. This uniqueness lies in the calligraphy surrounding the border of the miniature, which elevates its artistic value. The Persian and Chinese fonts have a painterly quality achieved through brushwork, whereas Indian writing traditionally utilizes pens made of wicker. As such, line drawing has been deemed central to any Indian painting style. Thus, the use of brushes in Persian and Chinese writing practices highlights a significant difference between their respective methods and those employed by Indians.

 

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Abul Fazl presenting Akbarnama to Emperor Akbar.

  The Mughal miniature gained particular significance through Irani Kalam (Persian art), resulting in its distinctiveness from other Indian art forms. During this time, scriptwriters were highly regarded by affluent individuals who purchased their manuscripts at exorbitant prices. Abul Fazal, the writer of Akbarnama, produced a list of renowned scriptwriters which included Mohammed Husain as one of the foremost scribes. Despite Emperor Akbar's admiration for calligraphies over illustrations due to their versatility, ancient manuscripts predominantly valued calligraphy over artwork. Abul Fazal identified eight different types of calligraphy that had been practiced in Iran, Turkestan and India; among them was 'Kufic,' which featured skew-typed diagonals written in italic calligraphy and 'nostalgic,' characterized by round-shaped lettering with slight decorations. The latter was favored by Emperor Akbar due to its compatibility with India's lush river-based climate with six temperate zones - an environment diametrically opposed to the dry Middle East where Kufic flourished. As evidenced by his upbringing and birthplace within an Indian setting, it is clear that both human nature and culture are significantly influenced by environmental factors such as climate. Consequently, Abul Fazal devoted chapter 34 titled "Calligraphy and Painting" within Ain-E-Akbari volume to underscore the importance of calligraphy in Mughal painting history.

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A Court Scene from Sadi's Gulistan painted by Basawon.

 The Muslim Indian Emperor's deviation from orthodox beliefs, which began in his youth and later led to a revolutionary approach to art and culture, is not surprising. He demonstrated exceptional leadership by warmly welcoming Hindu artists into his royal court despite his own racism, giving them high honors. Although skilled artists such as Mir Syed Ali, Abdus Samad, and Farooq Kalmak were already present in the court, Akbar invited Basawon, Dushyant Keshaudas and many others to illustrate poems written by poet Nizami. By collaborating with one another, Akbar's generous spirit resulted in the formation of a new style of Mughal miniature painting that showcased both foresight and talent. The newly appointed Hindu artists quickly mastered their Muslim counterparts' techniques while introducing innovative elements that proved India boasted an abundance of highly talented Hindu artisans capable of offering fresh perspectives on traditional forms. It would be remiss not to acknowledge Akbar's appreciation for the immense talents possessed by these Hindu artists. Following Abul Fazal's statement, below is a list of some great master artists who came from both Hindu and Muslim communities.

 

From the Hindu community, - Basawon, Dushyant, Haribus, Keshu, Mukunda, Mishkin, Madhu, Jagan, Mahes, Khem Karan, Tara, Saola, and Ram. Those were master painters in the Indian history of art.

 

From the Muslim community, - Meer Syed Ali, Khwaja Abdus Samad, and Behzad. 

Will be continuing.

 [The article is subject to copyright act. If you want to use any part of this article, please contact the author for permission]

(Images - Public domain)

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Addendum

[1]Abu'l-Fazl ibn Mubarak, also known as Abul Fazl, Abu'l Fadl and Abu'l-Fadl 'Allami (14 January 1551 – 12 August 1602), was the grand vizier of the Mughal emperor Akbar, and author of the Akbarnama, the official history of Akbar's reign in three volumes, (the third volume is known as the Ain-i-Akbari) and a Persian translation of the Bible. He was also one of the Nine Jewels (Hindi: Navaratnas) of Akbar's royal court and the brother of Faizi, the poet laureate of Emperor Akbar.