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PRARAMBH 2026
Art and Culture – Mains Question 09

1. The origin of the Mughal School of Painting is considered to be a landmark in the history of painting in
India. Discuss. (15 marks, 250 words)

How to Approach the Question:

Answer:
The Mughals were fervent patrons of numerous arts. Every Mughal emperor made a distinct contribution,
advancing literature, calligraphy, artwork, and architecture. The Mughal style produced optical reality
represented figures in nearly three dimensions and brought refinement and finesse. The Mughal era's artistic
expressions involve indigenous and foreign influences. For example, the blending of European, Persian,
and native styles.
Contribution of Mughal Emperors:
 Role of Babur: Babur brought a fusion of Persian and Central Asian cultural and artistic elements to
India. His autobiography, Baburnama, offers a thorough description of his political path entwined with
his enduring love of the arts. His memoirs included noteworthy comments from artists such as Shah
Muzaffar and Bihzad.
 Role of Humayun: Humayun developed a more refined creative vision while residing in the Safavid
Persian court. Inspired by the Safavid artistic heritage, he invited Mir Sayyid Ali and Abd Us Samad
to support the Mughal art movement. He established Nigarkhana, a workshop where he started the project
"Hamza Nama".
 Themes Popularized: Mughal paintings, which include matters such as open-air paintings with
trees, were patronized by Humayun.
 Role of Akbar: He commissioned a series of large-scale paintings to work between 1560 and 1577. One
of the first paintings that Akbar had commissioned was called "Tutinama," which means "Tales of a
Parrot" in literal translation.
 Influence from the West: With contact with the English Crown in particular, the European
influence began to show in Mughal artworks.
 Secularist Ideology: Paintings from the age of Akbar ranged from elaborate depictions of Persian
and Hindu myths to events at the royal court. Akbar made attempts to promote cultural fusion.
So, he ordered famous Sanskrit texts—the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, known as
RazmNama—to be translated into Persian and illustrated.
 Renowned Painters: Gulistan,' 'Darab Nama,' 'Khamsa of Nizami,' and 'Baharistan,' are other
renowned paintings commissioned by Akbar.
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 Role of Jahangir: Jahagir's rule was characterized by an overhaul in aesthetics. Jahangir moved the
emphasis of painting towards naturalism and minute details. Renowned painters such as Aqa Riza,
Abul Hasan, and Bichitra were among those he hired, each contributing their distinct styles to the court.
 Development in the Sphere of Paintings: The trend of Muraqqas was popularized under him.
Unique themes such as spider wars become famous along with realistically rendered paintings of
flowers, animals, and birds commissioned.
 Once they could create three-dimensional effects in their paintings, artists started utilizing
vivid colors like peacock blue and crimson.
 Western Influences Amalgamated with the Native Culture: The prevalence of paintings under
the Christian and European influences increased under him. Famous pieces with European themes,
such as Jahangir's Dream, portray political illusions.
 Role of Shah Jahan: Mughal miniature painting was emphasized by Shah Jahan's reign for its majestic
grandeur.
 Features of the paintings: These paintings were motivated by themes that offered a significant
degree of aesthetic pleasure, such as gardens, and photographs. Additionally, he commissioned
other pieces that featured couples in private settings. During his reign, the Padshahnama was
composed.
 Influence of the West: Under Shah Jahan, the Mughal School influenced and appreciated
European painters, with Rembrandt being one of the most notable consumers of Mughal
creativity.
 Role of Aurangzeb: Even though Aurangzeb primarily focused on gaining military and political power,
Mughal craftsmanship was still alive and well. His main priorities were the Mughal Empire's growth and
cohesion under his direction.
One of the turning points in Indian painting history is thought to have been the founding of the Mughal School
of Painting. Akbar, who was deeply interested in painting and architecture, founded the Mughal School of
Painting during his reign in 1560 CE. However, in the later stages of Mughal rule, a significant number of
court painters left when Aurangzeb outlawed the paintings. The Mughal art did see a brief renaissance during
the reign of Muhammad Shah. Shah Alam II's arrival virtually put an end to art, and a substitute style of
painting known as Rajput paintings began to emerge.

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