Jahangir and Imperial album painting

Jahangir’s painters had ability to produce identical copies of work in his collection. In the art of portrait miniature Jahangir’s paintings work miracles. His passion for nature was unrestricted, keen observer of flowers, grass, plants, animals and birds and had fondness of music, poetry, traveling like his ancestors, especially grandfather Babur. He had artistic and aesthetic background from his childhood had been in contact with paintings. That’s why had great involvement in that art form and patronized personally the royal atelia. Popular subject matters were court scenes, flora, fauna and birds. The choice of material reflects Jahangir’s own taste.
The Imperial albums paintings depict Jahangir’s interest in Sufis, Muslim rulers, Princess visiting ascetics. Having great affection for his pets--- cheetah, carrier pigeons and his consideration for the royal stud elephant was famous. He shifted Imperial Library to Lahore from Agra. Lahore became the centre of artistic activity. When visited Lahore found his palace decorated with many paintings. His master artists painted beautiful, refined and high quality art and Mughal miniatures reached its highest peak. His wife Nur Jahan had strong personality with complete control over her husband. Due to her influence female portraits began to appear. Under Jahangir the fusion of style--- India, Persian and European gave force and individuality to Mughal painting.

Akbar--real begetter of Mughal Paintings

During Akbar’s, real begetter of Mughal paintings, under his personal supervision great tradition of Mughal paintings developed and carried on for at least hundred years when Aurangzeb deposed his father Shah Jahan in 1658. Aurangzeb was orthodox and did not patronize his predecessor’s paintings. Mughal dynasty declined after Aurangzeb and then the royal artists and atelier did not receive royal patronage. Till the end of Mughal dynasty in 1857, miniatures were produced but inferior in quality to those produced in Akbar to Shah Jahan’s period. Akbar founded Imperial studio, headed by Mir Sayyed Ali and Khawaja Abdus Samad who trained the court painters. Though Akbar was illiterate but India experienced the extraordinary transformation of art during his reign. The greatest and finest project was copying and illustration of romance. In his studio he employed large number of painters, calligraphers, gilders, paper makers, and colour grinders etc. who were engaged in production of number of illustrated manuscripts. Both the prominent painters played active part in the administration of the studio and seeing that the work was satisfactory and completed on time. They adopted collective approach, that to a single work only two or three artists they assigned. The experienced painters were responsible for composition, drawing and portraiture and younger artists assisted them. He was unorthodox and used to invite philosophers and leaders for discussions and debates from various religions. By blending various cultural values, traditions and religions he as a head created new religion named “Tauhid-e-Illahi”. The same approach he applied to the art and created unique style by blending Persian, Chinese, European and Indian tradition. That’s why the figural scenes, trees, grass, animals are realistic and borders were decorated with flora and fauna, birds etc. to provide quality to these paintings. The most remarkable thing in paintings during his reign was that mostly male courtiers were painted because females were not allowed in open courts. Primary colours are rare, figures are highly modeled and convey distance and the painters had been trained in the Northern Europe . The paintings at his court were so rich, diverse and demands special consideration. His portraits are in profile or half-profile, sometimes stiff. His painters learned their use of colours from European paintings. At his death in 1605 his library was estimated at 24,000 volumes, with a total of 6, 500, 000 rupees.

MINIATURE PAINTINGS DURING AKBAR AND JAHANGIR REIGN

Mughal or miniature paintings could be described as a variety of Islamic paintings practiced in India during sixteenth and seventeenth century.
In the second half of the sixteenth century between the Indian Mughal and West had been intercultural link during Akbar’s reign. Akbar consumed painting passion and other forms of art. He had independence of thoughts and also passion for knowledge about European art, culture and religion. To satiate his thirst lead to develop relationship with Portuguese.
Akbar and Jahangir was great admirer of European art and craft. Due to their admirations Dutch, British and Portuguese too were trying to establish trade relations with Indian Mughals and presented great number of paintings to Emperor Jahangir. Mughal artists copied those paintings and adopted its versions. During this period two different styles emerged--- Mughal style with fine European influence. Prominent Mughal artists like Abul Hasan etc. by combining two techniques—Mughal and European produced admirable personal and romantic works.