Miniature Paintings

Miniature paintings were small detailed originated artworks specifically made for books or albums.¹⁶ These paintings exhibited scenes like battles, royalty, religious stories, and daily life. The Mughals brought this art style from Persia but they added Indian style to it which resulted in creating something totally new and one of a kind which further represents the intertwining of cultures. Artists paid attention to every tiny detail so much so that you can see the tiny creases, lines, textures that brought it to life.¹⁷ They were designed to be looked at up close, mainly by emperors or nobles.¹⁸ Which leads me to believe that because this artwork was so unique that only those who had power and high status could even have the honor of seeing the paintings up close. In a way, it could also be since people of high status were the main or even only people who cared deeply about art and had the money to afford it that they paid more attention to the artwork than others.  Furthermore, the paintings sometimes included writing in Arabic or Persian language.¹⁹ This showcases how art and literature were connected - could not have one without the other - one is reading words and one is seeing it come to life. Some emperors greatly supported miniature paintings like Akbar and Jahangir who built royal workshops at court where groups of artists could work together on the painting. Each artist had a different job: one did the outline, another added color, and another applied gold.²⁰ Art united people especially with the support of the emperors. Lastly, art was made to keep record of history and tell the tails of what took place. For instance, when it came to the emperor, some paintings were meant to make the emperor seem god-like and others portrayed him meeting guests, talking with holy men, or hunting.²¹ This highlights how the Mughals wanted to be remembered as powerful but also worldly people. 

16. Milo Cleveland Beach, The Imperial Image: Paintings for the Mughal Court (Washington, DC: National Gallery of Art, 1981), 12.

17. Milo Cleveland Beach, The Imperial Image, 25.

18. Mildred Archer, Indian Painting for the British (London: British Museum Press, 1981), 45.

19. John Seyller, Painting for the Mughal Emperor (Washington, DC: Freer Gallery of Art, 1999), 37.

20. Milo Cleveland Beach, The Imperial Image, 30.

21. John Seyller, Painting for the Mughal Emperor, 40.

22. Mughal Miniature Painting, 17th century, Victoria and Albert Museum.