Miniature Paintings in Contemporary South Asian Art Team 2 : Ayesha, Gerald, Jade, Jia Xian, Kaie
Miniature Paintings in Contemporary South Asian Art
Mar 29, 2023
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Miniature Paintings in Contemporary South Asian Art Team 2 : Ayesha, Gerald, Jade, Jia Xian, Kaie
Content
7th century
SINO-PERSIAN RELATIONS
Paper trade between Persia and China leading to the start of persian miniatures
HUMAYUN
AKBAR
Shahnameh of Tabriz
Khamza of Nizami
Court of Gayumars Bahram Gur slays a dragon Goshtasp slays a dragon Mi ‘ Raj of Prophet Muhammad
Thesis
From the Tradition and to the Contemporary, Miniature paintings have evolved as the artists become independent from the patron’s beliefs and creative direction
Pala Empire
The Pala Empire
Ruling dynasty in Bihar and Bengal India from 8th-12th Century AD
Rulers were patrons of Mahayana Buddhism Pala missionaries responsible for spread of
Buddhism to Tibet Majority of surviving Pala art is in the form of
metalwork and sculpture Earliest instance of manuscript painting in India Influence on future Mughal paintings: style and
patronage
Painted on palm-leaf pages Compiled into folio manuscripts Patronage system Painted by Buddhist monks, with
Pala kings as donors Commissioning of manuscripts
was a way for Pala kings to gain virtue, a key aspect of Mahayana Buddhism
White Tara, Folio from a dispersed Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita (Perfection of Wisdom) Manuscript, early 12th Century. (7 x 41.9cm)
Met Museum, New York
Dimensionality: based around sculpture
Pala paintings incorporated elements of depth, scale and dimensionality, similar to their sculptures
Green Tara Dispensing Boons to Ecstatic Devotees: Folio from a Manuscript of the Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita (Perfection of Wisdom), early 12th Century
(6.4 x 4.9 cm) Met Muesum, New York
Buddha Shakyamuni
India, Bihar; Pala period (c.8th - 12th century), late 9th - early 10th century
Schist H. 28 1/4 in. (71.8 cm)
Were Pala Manuscript paintings Miniatures?
No: sometimes called “miniature” under blanket term, but different in purpose
Pala Manuscript paintings can be considered within the same vein as illuminated manuscripts of Medieval western civilizations.
Pala paintings can be considered a local precursor to Mughal miniatures, setting precedent for patronage and small, portable format
Portable for a different reason: Manuscripts’ ease of transport also aided missionary work: Tibetan manuscript and wall paintings would go on to adapt the same style found in Pala
How do the Pala fit into the big picture?
Precedent for royalty commissioning small paintings for limited purposes (virtue)
Mughal miniature art would deviate in style from the Persian style of Central Asia/Ottoman miniatures
Many of these deviations would originate from the Pala style: Iconography Motifs Stylization
Traditional Mughal Paintings
Mughal Paintings - Overview
Mughal Empire Time Period: 1526-1857 A.D.
Founder of Miniatures: Babur
Founding Artists: Mir Sayyid Ali of Tabriz and Abdus Samad of Shiraz, Persian painters brought to India by Humayun
Empires most prominent for miniatures: Akbar and Jehangir (1556 - 1627)
Eminent Artists: Abul Fazl, author of Akbarnama
Eminent collections of works: Baburnama, Akbarnama, Jehangirnama
Themes: Battles, court scenes, receptions, legendary stories, hunting scenes, wildlife, portraits, and the likes
Babur Receives a Courtier by Farrukh Beg c. 1580-85. Opaque watercolor and gold on paper, painted and mounted within borders of a Rawat a-af page. Freer Sackler Gallery S1986.230
Rank | Ruler | Period of Rule
THE MUGHAL DYNASTY
Babur, 1526-1530
Humayun, 1530-1556
Akbar, 1556-1605
Jehangir, 1605-1627
The court of young Akbar, age 13, showing his first imperial act: the arrest of an unruly courtier, who was once a favourite of Akbar's father. Illustration from a manuscript of the Akbarnama. (left)
Akbar
Period of Reign: 1556 - 1605
Style of Rule: Patron of art culture. Open to all cultures and new ideas. Inclusive to Rajputs in administration, army and marriage; seeks council from elders and village people alike; had friendly diplomatic relations with Jesuit missionaries.
Approach towards Miniatures: Expanded father’s library consisting of 24000 manuscripts and atelier of court painters by hiring many local artists. Incorporated Christian and Rajput imagery in paintings/ places of worship. Commissioned Abul Fazl to author Akbarnama (collection of 116 miniature paintings)
‘There are many that hate painting, but such men I dislike. It appears to me as if a painter had quite peculiar means of recognizing God, for a painter, in sketching anything that has life, and in devising the limbs one after another must come to feel that he cannot bestow a soul upon his work and is thus forced to thank god, the giver of life, and will thus increase his wisdom.”
- Abul Fazl quoting Akbar in the Akbarnama
“Emperor Akbar on an elephant hunt,” Basawan and Chetar, illustrations from the Akbarnama, c. 1586-89, Mughal Empire, opaque watercolor and gold on paper, each page 33 x 30 cm (Victoria and Albert Museum, London)
Visual Analysis
- Aerial perspective, there is depth - diminishing figures at the back
- Agra Fort seen behind and Jamuna river in the foreground
- Elephant crashes over a bridge of boats, rages - tusk, foot burst through the frame
- Nearby men run away from the scene trying to get to safety
- People at the shore look distressed and shocked at the events
AKBAR
- Emperor Akbar stands out in white attire - seen mounting Elephant Hawa’i - known for its wild and uncontrollable nature
- Akbar is unfazed, portrayed as a fearless warrior riding the elephant barefoot
- Embodiment of strength, courage, authority, faith and protection
- Elephant too is a symbol of majesty, power and dignity in Indian culture, so mounting one is a very high esteem
Elements from different cultures
1. Persian elements - Vertical format, intricate nature patterns, rhythmic pulsing of waves. Onlookers express fear and awe - Persian gesture of lightly pressing a finger to the lips. Others flail their arms in distress
2. Indian elements- Primary saturated colors - yellow and red. Big human proportion - more Indian than Persian
3. Western elements - Depth and Distance - boats and figures are increasingly small to the back
Remarkable degree of artistic experimentation seen to develop new art under Akbar’s patronage
Abul Fazl noted Akbar taking deep interest in this piece - personally commissioned subjects and checked up regularly.
Scene is dynamic, full of action and vigour. He liked to be depicted heroically in his paintings. Which explains the numerous hunts/battles seen in Akbarnama
Form and Medium
Artist using natural pigments for Colors in Mughal court
Form - Miniature Paintings are done on paper bound in a manuscript style book as an autobiography of the Emperor. It is held and admired which makes it a more intimate and personal interaction than Mural art.
Materials used- Paper - handmade, cotton and fibre based Opaque paint - powdery pigment and water,
bound with arabic gum Precision brushes - hair of horses, camel, sheep,
goats, squirrels, kitten hair
Function of miniatures
Akbar on a hunt, Akbarnama
-Overall purpose of Mughal Miniature Paintings - Art form to document the life of the patron, i.e, the Mughal Emperors in court to create a legacy of their accomplishments, battles and trade.
-Who participated? Local (and Western) artists commissioned by the Emperor.
-Narrative: Personal stories of the Emperor and his courtiers - themes like battles, court scenes, receptions, legendary stories, hunting scenes, wildlife, portraits, etc.
Art Style and Motifs
Art Style - The miniature style of paintings was clearly influenced by the Persian style of paintings. Persian painters used upright format and general setting with emphasis on flat aerial perspective and flora and fauna motifs.
Post contact with the Western style of Art, Artists began to add their vision and took some freedom in their style of painting. They applied naturalism and tried the depiction of the detailed observation of the world in immediate surround. However, this freedom was practised in style and motifs, and didn’t so much affect the subject matter of the painting itself, i.e, the story of the Patron or Emperor.
The Emperor Shah Jahan standing on a globe, c. 1618-19 to 1629. Opaque Watercolor, ink and gold on paper.
Contemporary Miniature Paintings
Prelude Sophistication of old Mughal style is still appreciated today and although art forms need not necessarily be miniature in size, the themes, motifs, designs, are now being incorporated in contemporary contexts.
https://www.goodearth.in/category_landing/living_26 /
Prevalent within studios/schools in: 1. Rajasthan, India 2. Lahore, Pakistan
a. National College of Arts, Diploma in Miniature Painting, Pakistan
However... Artform passed from father to son. With an increase in urbanisation and education, individuals do not necessarily want to continue with the line of work done for generations by their forefathers. They chose to follow vocations of their own choice, this could be one reason why there has been a decline over time in this art forms production.
Who are the patrons now?
National Museum Delhi Mughal Art Wing, Aug 2012
http://www.nationalmuseumindia.gov.in/departments-miniature-paintings.asp?lk=dp3
- Singular → Mass Viewing
- Build the artists name
- Form of new art, based on old techniques and style.
Who are the patrons now?
Qureshi at work on paintings for his exhibition Photograph: Awais Gohar
Case Study: Imran Qureshi
Patron: Barbican Art Gallery
Date: February - July 2016
“All this is remarkable because of the tradition Qureshi is working in: miniatures produced using the techniques of 16th-century Mughal masters… The works themselves speak of hours bent over an easel, executing tiny strokes with the customary squirrel-hair brush”
Diversity of Forms
1. Paintings
“Rise and Fall” by Imran Qureshi
- Qureshi introduced blood-red paint into his palette after bombings in his home within Lahore, Pakistan
- He bagan splattering or delicately incorporating deathly red in works, that contrast violence with beauty
- “A blood-spattered tree leans towards another in the adjacent frame. Its trunk has snapped”
- “The trees are like characters. This one is the romantic: it inclines towards another but in doing so loses its own roots.”https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2016/fe
b/18/violence-is-all-around-me-imran-qureshi-on-his- disturbing-miniatures
- Version of a Mughal emperor’s miniature portrait
- Montage of images of advertising billboards in Lahore
- Toying with the issue that “only something with an ethnic label was going to be recognized as Pakistani”
- Rana produced a miniature painting the public wanted to see, and made it with the visual culture of Lahore today
- Dealing with duality in a rather traditional style
http://radioopensource.org/rashid-ranas-pakist an-a-mini-version-of-the-globe/
- Demonstrated how miniature paintings could merge contemporary media and Western illustrations with an old art form
- Culmination of specialists drawing forms and techniques - including figures, animals, gardens or architecture
- Imagery includes British colonial postage stamps, Islamic marquetry cypress trees, a pair of pliers, a tulip, a mullah with the legs of a goat, and strips of a New York City subway map.
- “Imagery has a political resonance, some referring to British colonial rule”http://x-traonline.org/article/contemporary-col
laborations/
“SpiNN” by Shahzia Sikander
- “Miniature painting is experiencing something of a comeback in today’s art world thanks largely to contemporary artists who have studied its traditional techniques and then tweaked them to suit their own styles of expression.
- A woman’s hairdo spins round & round, expanding and eventually morphing into bats or birds in flight
- Sikander’s work has been described as “‘instrumental in the rediscovery, re-infusion, and re-contextualization of Indo-Persian miniature painting.’
https://thediplomat.com/2011/01/miniature-pai nting-animated/
Contemporary Purpose/Function
- Political satire - Artist’s representations - Bias: point of view of the artist - Symbolic in nature
- Convey a message or provoke thought about society
- Decorative - Not in the same context as ancient Mughal miniature
paintings - Commercial use
monarch or a single emperor
A Portrait of Jahangir, Provincial Mughal, India,
circa 1800
Contemporary Artistic Style
In ancient times, artistic style was laid in the hands of the
patrons, and less so the artists.
Current day, the artist has complete control over the
content they produce.
and chose to make use of certain motifs.
Imran Qureshi working on a mixed media Mughal Miniature
Comparison
1 2
Ninety Eighty-Four (The storming of the ‘Golden Temple’) 1998 Amrit & Rabindra Singh
Akbar’s household rejoicing at the birth of his second son, Murad
1570 Akbarnama, Mughal
Emperor’s Narrative
It documents the accounts of the royal court life and the emperor’s beliefs
It is bound to the royal patron’s
expectations
Incorporated Motifs into the
paintings along with flora and fauna Flat layered styles and has a flat aerial
perspective
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direction
Art Style/ Motifs
Multiple Influences Artists use traditional techniques and
modern mediums (a synchronisation) Merge of the traditional and modern The miniatures are sought out for for
their “ ethnic “ aesthetic
Form/ Size/ Medium
For the Commercial Made for masses; to be seen as the art is
thought-provoking Enters the commercial market and is
made affordable due to transportation
and/or shipping to its size
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So back to the Thesis;
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Conclusion Though both the Traditional and Contemporary paintings similarly were in contact by other visual
traditions and cultures; beliefs, religions and traditions, the presence of the royal patron affects the
final product
The royal patron during the Mughal empire that commissions these intimate miniature paintings
with a controlled direction whereas to those of the unrestrained creativity and aim for the profitable market in the Contemporary reflects the creative direction and autonomy artists have of their work
in that time and era.
Therefore, in conclusion, miniature paintings has unfolded and express the artist’s independent
beliefs through time and growing independency from the patron’s and market’s beliefs.
Q and A
Good Earth. "Good Earth | Stylish Sustainable Luxury Retail." Living - New Arrivals. Accessed September 10, 2018. https://www.goodearth.in/category_landing/living_26/.
Lydon, Cristopher. "Rashid Rana’s Pakistan: A Mini-version of the Globe." Radio Open Source, July 2011. Accessed September 11, 2018. doi:10.1075/ps.5.3.02chi.audio.2f.
"Miniature Painting & Art - History & Evolution, Schools & Techniques." Agra India – History, Architecture, Facts & Myths. Accessed September 11, 2018. https://www.culturalindia.net/indian-art/paintings/miniature.html.
Nakagawa, Ulara. "Miniature Painting… Animated?" The Diplomat, January 5, 2011. Accessed September 11, 2018.
Oren, Michael. "Contemporary Collaborations." Karkhana: A Contemporary Collaboration. August 2007. Accessed September 11, 2018. http://x-traonline.org/article/contemporary-collaborations/.
"Paintings." National Museum - New Delhi. 2012. Accessed September 12, 2018. http://www.nationalmuseumindia.gov.in/departments-miniature-paintings.asp?lk=dp3.
Shariatmadari, David. "'Violence Is All around Me': Imran Qureshi on His Disturbing Miniatures." The Guardian, February 18, 2016. Accessed September 10, 2018. doi:10.1093/gao/9781884446054.article.t2287958.
https://www.economist.com/prospero/2011/11/21/grand-clashes-in-miniature Mumtaz, Murad Khan. Miniature Painting in Pakistan: Divergences Between Traditional and Contemporary Practice. February 4,
2013. https://www.guggenheim.org/blogs/map/miniature-painting-in-pakistan-divergences-between-traditional-and-cont emporary-practice
Rogers, J. Michael. Great Britain xi. Persian Art Collections in Britain. February 23, 2012. http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/great-britain-x
Sikhnet. 1984 Singh Twins. 2018. https://www.sikhnet.com/pages/1984-singh-twins Tata, Huzan. The Singh Twins take us through their Intricate Canvases. January 05, 2017.
http://www.vervemagazine.in/people/singh-twins-amrit-and-rabindra-kaur-singh-miniature-artists The Guardian. 'Twindividuals': The art of the Singh Twinns. November 10, 2010.
Dimand, Maurice S. “Mughal Painting under Akbar the Great”. Jstor. Accessed September 10, 2018. https://www.metmuseum.org/pubs/bulletins/1/pdf/3257529.pdf.bannered.pdf
Blunt, Wilfrid. “The Mughal Painters of Natural History”, February 1948. Burlington Magazine Publications Ltd. Accessed September 10, 2018. https://www.jstor.org/stable/869792?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents
Guy, John. “MUGHAL PAINTING UNDER AKBAR: THE MELBOURNE HAMZA-NAMA AND AKBAR-NAMA PAINTINGS”. Accessed September 10, 2018. https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/essay/mughal-painting-under-akbar-the-melbourne-hamza-nama-and-akbar-nama-paintings/.
Klaasmeyer, Katrina. “Illustration from the Akbarnama”. Khan Academy. Accessed September 10, 2018. https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/art-islam/islamic-art-late-period/a/illustration-from-the-akbarnama
Langa, Naval. “PAINTINGS GALLERIES.” MUGHAL MINIATURES : Painting India's History. Accessed September 10, 2018. paintingsgalleries.blogspot.com/2010/04/mughal-miniatures-painting-indias.html.
"Exploring Color In Mughal Paintings". 2018. Youtube. March 6, 2018. Accessed September 10, 2018. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WO9IkkjQhso.
Exploring Color in Mughal Paintings
- Interesting account of how artists derived such vibrant colors from natural pigments
Miniature Paintings Mughal Decline
In the 19th Century, The British succeeded the Mughals as rulers of India.
They introduced values that privileged western conception of fine art over applied art
New Hierarchy of Art: In 1872, under British patronage, miniature paintings was viewed as another sought out exotic product, along with Persian art and illustrated manuscripts.
Shah Alam II And the Mughal Imperial Throne
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Mughal Style Today National College of Arts (NCA)
Artists in Lahore: Miniature paintings are still being created today. Bashir Ahmed succeeded in introducing it as a major subject in the fine arts department in the school.
During the British periods, Western art and architecture styles helped evolved the new aesthetic canon. The school provided the platform for students to experiment with modern ideas into the medium.
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Mughal Style Today National College of Arts (NCA)
Had been modified and “modernized” : To survive the contemporary art institution,
traditional master-disciple relationship → two to four academic years
Essential techniques of Mughal musawwari → now use commercial watercolors and paper
Current students lack exposure to traditional material preparation
Leading to a indifference towards the craft
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‘The art of selling’ Became the essential for art itself.
This changes the global market and the concept of regional artists. Miniature paintings, for its easy handling and shipping, allured buyers from the West who were interested in “ethnic” aesthetics.
However, this encouraged other art educations and institutions to offer degrees in this unique art form and replicate NCA’s miniature department’s traditions.
Indian Summer at Dhigbal Nivas, Singh Sisters
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Content
7th century
SINO-PERSIAN RELATIONS
Paper trade between Persia and China leading to the start of persian miniatures
HUMAYUN
AKBAR
Shahnameh of Tabriz
Khamza of Nizami
Court of Gayumars Bahram Gur slays a dragon Goshtasp slays a dragon Mi ‘ Raj of Prophet Muhammad
Thesis
From the Tradition and to the Contemporary, Miniature paintings have evolved as the artists become independent from the patron’s beliefs and creative direction
Pala Empire
The Pala Empire
Ruling dynasty in Bihar and Bengal India from 8th-12th Century AD
Rulers were patrons of Mahayana Buddhism Pala missionaries responsible for spread of
Buddhism to Tibet Majority of surviving Pala art is in the form of
metalwork and sculpture Earliest instance of manuscript painting in India Influence on future Mughal paintings: style and
patronage
Painted on palm-leaf pages Compiled into folio manuscripts Patronage system Painted by Buddhist monks, with
Pala kings as donors Commissioning of manuscripts
was a way for Pala kings to gain virtue, a key aspect of Mahayana Buddhism
White Tara, Folio from a dispersed Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita (Perfection of Wisdom) Manuscript, early 12th Century. (7 x 41.9cm)
Met Museum, New York
Dimensionality: based around sculpture
Pala paintings incorporated elements of depth, scale and dimensionality, similar to their sculptures
Green Tara Dispensing Boons to Ecstatic Devotees: Folio from a Manuscript of the Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita (Perfection of Wisdom), early 12th Century
(6.4 x 4.9 cm) Met Muesum, New York
Buddha Shakyamuni
India, Bihar; Pala period (c.8th - 12th century), late 9th - early 10th century
Schist H. 28 1/4 in. (71.8 cm)
Were Pala Manuscript paintings Miniatures?
No: sometimes called “miniature” under blanket term, but different in purpose
Pala Manuscript paintings can be considered within the same vein as illuminated manuscripts of Medieval western civilizations.
Pala paintings can be considered a local precursor to Mughal miniatures, setting precedent for patronage and small, portable format
Portable for a different reason: Manuscripts’ ease of transport also aided missionary work: Tibetan manuscript and wall paintings would go on to adapt the same style found in Pala
How do the Pala fit into the big picture?
Precedent for royalty commissioning small paintings for limited purposes (virtue)
Mughal miniature art would deviate in style from the Persian style of Central Asia/Ottoman miniatures
Many of these deviations would originate from the Pala style: Iconography Motifs Stylization
Traditional Mughal Paintings
Mughal Paintings - Overview
Mughal Empire Time Period: 1526-1857 A.D.
Founder of Miniatures: Babur
Founding Artists: Mir Sayyid Ali of Tabriz and Abdus Samad of Shiraz, Persian painters brought to India by Humayun
Empires most prominent for miniatures: Akbar and Jehangir (1556 - 1627)
Eminent Artists: Abul Fazl, author of Akbarnama
Eminent collections of works: Baburnama, Akbarnama, Jehangirnama
Themes: Battles, court scenes, receptions, legendary stories, hunting scenes, wildlife, portraits, and the likes
Babur Receives a Courtier by Farrukh Beg c. 1580-85. Opaque watercolor and gold on paper, painted and mounted within borders of a Rawat a-af page. Freer Sackler Gallery S1986.230
Rank | Ruler | Period of Rule
THE MUGHAL DYNASTY
Babur, 1526-1530
Humayun, 1530-1556
Akbar, 1556-1605
Jehangir, 1605-1627
The court of young Akbar, age 13, showing his first imperial act: the arrest of an unruly courtier, who was once a favourite of Akbar's father. Illustration from a manuscript of the Akbarnama. (left)
Akbar
Period of Reign: 1556 - 1605
Style of Rule: Patron of art culture. Open to all cultures and new ideas. Inclusive to Rajputs in administration, army and marriage; seeks council from elders and village people alike; had friendly diplomatic relations with Jesuit missionaries.
Approach towards Miniatures: Expanded father’s library consisting of 24000 manuscripts and atelier of court painters by hiring many local artists. Incorporated Christian and Rajput imagery in paintings/ places of worship. Commissioned Abul Fazl to author Akbarnama (collection of 116 miniature paintings)
‘There are many that hate painting, but such men I dislike. It appears to me as if a painter had quite peculiar means of recognizing God, for a painter, in sketching anything that has life, and in devising the limbs one after another must come to feel that he cannot bestow a soul upon his work and is thus forced to thank god, the giver of life, and will thus increase his wisdom.”
- Abul Fazl quoting Akbar in the Akbarnama
“Emperor Akbar on an elephant hunt,” Basawan and Chetar, illustrations from the Akbarnama, c. 1586-89, Mughal Empire, opaque watercolor and gold on paper, each page 33 x 30 cm (Victoria and Albert Museum, London)
Visual Analysis
- Aerial perspective, there is depth - diminishing figures at the back
- Agra Fort seen behind and Jamuna river in the foreground
- Elephant crashes over a bridge of boats, rages - tusk, foot burst through the frame
- Nearby men run away from the scene trying to get to safety
- People at the shore look distressed and shocked at the events
AKBAR
- Emperor Akbar stands out in white attire - seen mounting Elephant Hawa’i - known for its wild and uncontrollable nature
- Akbar is unfazed, portrayed as a fearless warrior riding the elephant barefoot
- Embodiment of strength, courage, authority, faith and protection
- Elephant too is a symbol of majesty, power and dignity in Indian culture, so mounting one is a very high esteem
Elements from different cultures
1. Persian elements - Vertical format, intricate nature patterns, rhythmic pulsing of waves. Onlookers express fear and awe - Persian gesture of lightly pressing a finger to the lips. Others flail their arms in distress
2. Indian elements- Primary saturated colors - yellow and red. Big human proportion - more Indian than Persian
3. Western elements - Depth and Distance - boats and figures are increasingly small to the back
Remarkable degree of artistic experimentation seen to develop new art under Akbar’s patronage
Abul Fazl noted Akbar taking deep interest in this piece - personally commissioned subjects and checked up regularly.
Scene is dynamic, full of action and vigour. He liked to be depicted heroically in his paintings. Which explains the numerous hunts/battles seen in Akbarnama
Form and Medium
Artist using natural pigments for Colors in Mughal court
Form - Miniature Paintings are done on paper bound in a manuscript style book as an autobiography of the Emperor. It is held and admired which makes it a more intimate and personal interaction than Mural art.
Materials used- Paper - handmade, cotton and fibre based Opaque paint - powdery pigment and water,
bound with arabic gum Precision brushes - hair of horses, camel, sheep,
goats, squirrels, kitten hair
Function of miniatures
Akbar on a hunt, Akbarnama
-Overall purpose of Mughal Miniature Paintings - Art form to document the life of the patron, i.e, the Mughal Emperors in court to create a legacy of their accomplishments, battles and trade.
-Who participated? Local (and Western) artists commissioned by the Emperor.
-Narrative: Personal stories of the Emperor and his courtiers - themes like battles, court scenes, receptions, legendary stories, hunting scenes, wildlife, portraits, etc.
Art Style and Motifs
Art Style - The miniature style of paintings was clearly influenced by the Persian style of paintings. Persian painters used upright format and general setting with emphasis on flat aerial perspective and flora and fauna motifs.
Post contact with the Western style of Art, Artists began to add their vision and took some freedom in their style of painting. They applied naturalism and tried the depiction of the detailed observation of the world in immediate surround. However, this freedom was practised in style and motifs, and didn’t so much affect the subject matter of the painting itself, i.e, the story of the Patron or Emperor.
The Emperor Shah Jahan standing on a globe, c. 1618-19 to 1629. Opaque Watercolor, ink and gold on paper.
Contemporary Miniature Paintings
Prelude Sophistication of old Mughal style is still appreciated today and although art forms need not necessarily be miniature in size, the themes, motifs, designs, are now being incorporated in contemporary contexts.
https://www.goodearth.in/category_landing/living_26 /
Prevalent within studios/schools in: 1. Rajasthan, India 2. Lahore, Pakistan
a. National College of Arts, Diploma in Miniature Painting, Pakistan
However... Artform passed from father to son. With an increase in urbanisation and education, individuals do not necessarily want to continue with the line of work done for generations by their forefathers. They chose to follow vocations of their own choice, this could be one reason why there has been a decline over time in this art forms production.
Who are the patrons now?
National Museum Delhi Mughal Art Wing, Aug 2012
http://www.nationalmuseumindia.gov.in/departments-miniature-paintings.asp?lk=dp3
- Singular → Mass Viewing
- Build the artists name
- Form of new art, based on old techniques and style.
Who are the patrons now?
Qureshi at work on paintings for his exhibition Photograph: Awais Gohar
Case Study: Imran Qureshi
Patron: Barbican Art Gallery
Date: February - July 2016
“All this is remarkable because of the tradition Qureshi is working in: miniatures produced using the techniques of 16th-century Mughal masters… The works themselves speak of hours bent over an easel, executing tiny strokes with the customary squirrel-hair brush”
Diversity of Forms
1. Paintings
“Rise and Fall” by Imran Qureshi
- Qureshi introduced blood-red paint into his palette after bombings in his home within Lahore, Pakistan
- He bagan splattering or delicately incorporating deathly red in works, that contrast violence with beauty
- “A blood-spattered tree leans towards another in the adjacent frame. Its trunk has snapped”
- “The trees are like characters. This one is the romantic: it inclines towards another but in doing so loses its own roots.”https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2016/fe
b/18/violence-is-all-around-me-imran-qureshi-on-his- disturbing-miniatures
- Version of a Mughal emperor’s miniature portrait
- Montage of images of advertising billboards in Lahore
- Toying with the issue that “only something with an ethnic label was going to be recognized as Pakistani”
- Rana produced a miniature painting the public wanted to see, and made it with the visual culture of Lahore today
- Dealing with duality in a rather traditional style
http://radioopensource.org/rashid-ranas-pakist an-a-mini-version-of-the-globe/
- Demonstrated how miniature paintings could merge contemporary media and Western illustrations with an old art form
- Culmination of specialists drawing forms and techniques - including figures, animals, gardens or architecture
- Imagery includes British colonial postage stamps, Islamic marquetry cypress trees, a pair of pliers, a tulip, a mullah with the legs of a goat, and strips of a New York City subway map.
- “Imagery has a political resonance, some referring to British colonial rule”http://x-traonline.org/article/contemporary-col
laborations/
“SpiNN” by Shahzia Sikander
- “Miniature painting is experiencing something of a comeback in today’s art world thanks largely to contemporary artists who have studied its traditional techniques and then tweaked them to suit their own styles of expression.
- A woman’s hairdo spins round & round, expanding and eventually morphing into bats or birds in flight
- Sikander’s work has been described as “‘instrumental in the rediscovery, re-infusion, and re-contextualization of Indo-Persian miniature painting.’
https://thediplomat.com/2011/01/miniature-pai nting-animated/
Contemporary Purpose/Function
- Political satire - Artist’s representations - Bias: point of view of the artist - Symbolic in nature
- Convey a message or provoke thought about society
- Decorative - Not in the same context as ancient Mughal miniature
paintings - Commercial use
monarch or a single emperor
A Portrait of Jahangir, Provincial Mughal, India,
circa 1800
Contemporary Artistic Style
In ancient times, artistic style was laid in the hands of the
patrons, and less so the artists.
Current day, the artist has complete control over the
content they produce.
and chose to make use of certain motifs.
Imran Qureshi working on a mixed media Mughal Miniature
Comparison
1 2
Ninety Eighty-Four (The storming of the ‘Golden Temple’) 1998 Amrit & Rabindra Singh
Akbar’s household rejoicing at the birth of his second son, Murad
1570 Akbarnama, Mughal
Emperor’s Narrative
It documents the accounts of the royal court life and the emperor’s beliefs
It is bound to the royal patron’s
expectations
Incorporated Motifs into the
paintings along with flora and fauna Flat layered styles and has a flat aerial
perspective
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direction
Art Style/ Motifs
Multiple Influences Artists use traditional techniques and
modern mediums (a synchronisation) Merge of the traditional and modern The miniatures are sought out for for
their “ ethnic “ aesthetic
Form/ Size/ Medium
For the Commercial Made for masses; to be seen as the art is
thought-provoking Enters the commercial market and is
made affordable due to transportation
and/or shipping to its size
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So back to the Thesis;
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Conclusion Though both the Traditional and Contemporary paintings similarly were in contact by other visual
traditions and cultures; beliefs, religions and traditions, the presence of the royal patron affects the
final product
The royal patron during the Mughal empire that commissions these intimate miniature paintings
with a controlled direction whereas to those of the unrestrained creativity and aim for the profitable market in the Contemporary reflects the creative direction and autonomy artists have of their work
in that time and era.
Therefore, in conclusion, miniature paintings has unfolded and express the artist’s independent
beliefs through time and growing independency from the patron’s and market’s beliefs.
Q and A
Good Earth. "Good Earth | Stylish Sustainable Luxury Retail." Living - New Arrivals. Accessed September 10, 2018. https://www.goodearth.in/category_landing/living_26/.
Lydon, Cristopher. "Rashid Rana’s Pakistan: A Mini-version of the Globe." Radio Open Source, July 2011. Accessed September 11, 2018. doi:10.1075/ps.5.3.02chi.audio.2f.
"Miniature Painting & Art - History & Evolution, Schools & Techniques." Agra India – History, Architecture, Facts & Myths. Accessed September 11, 2018. https://www.culturalindia.net/indian-art/paintings/miniature.html.
Nakagawa, Ulara. "Miniature Painting… Animated?" The Diplomat, January 5, 2011. Accessed September 11, 2018.
Oren, Michael. "Contemporary Collaborations." Karkhana: A Contemporary Collaboration. August 2007. Accessed September 11, 2018. http://x-traonline.org/article/contemporary-collaborations/.
"Paintings." National Museum - New Delhi. 2012. Accessed September 12, 2018. http://www.nationalmuseumindia.gov.in/departments-miniature-paintings.asp?lk=dp3.
Shariatmadari, David. "'Violence Is All around Me': Imran Qureshi on His Disturbing Miniatures." The Guardian, February 18, 2016. Accessed September 10, 2018. doi:10.1093/gao/9781884446054.article.t2287958.
https://www.economist.com/prospero/2011/11/21/grand-clashes-in-miniature Mumtaz, Murad Khan. Miniature Painting in Pakistan: Divergences Between Traditional and Contemporary Practice. February 4,
2013. https://www.guggenheim.org/blogs/map/miniature-painting-in-pakistan-divergences-between-traditional-and-cont emporary-practice
Rogers, J. Michael. Great Britain xi. Persian Art Collections in Britain. February 23, 2012. http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/great-britain-x
Sikhnet. 1984 Singh Twins. 2018. https://www.sikhnet.com/pages/1984-singh-twins Tata, Huzan. The Singh Twins take us through their Intricate Canvases. January 05, 2017.
http://www.vervemagazine.in/people/singh-twins-amrit-and-rabindra-kaur-singh-miniature-artists The Guardian. 'Twindividuals': The art of the Singh Twinns. November 10, 2010.
Dimand, Maurice S. “Mughal Painting under Akbar the Great”. Jstor. Accessed September 10, 2018. https://www.metmuseum.org/pubs/bulletins/1/pdf/3257529.pdf.bannered.pdf
Blunt, Wilfrid. “The Mughal Painters of Natural History”, February 1948. Burlington Magazine Publications Ltd. Accessed September 10, 2018. https://www.jstor.org/stable/869792?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents
Guy, John. “MUGHAL PAINTING UNDER AKBAR: THE MELBOURNE HAMZA-NAMA AND AKBAR-NAMA PAINTINGS”. Accessed September 10, 2018. https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/essay/mughal-painting-under-akbar-the-melbourne-hamza-nama-and-akbar-nama-paintings/.
Klaasmeyer, Katrina. “Illustration from the Akbarnama”. Khan Academy. Accessed September 10, 2018. https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/art-islam/islamic-art-late-period/a/illustration-from-the-akbarnama
Langa, Naval. “PAINTINGS GALLERIES.” MUGHAL MINIATURES : Painting India's History. Accessed September 10, 2018. paintingsgalleries.blogspot.com/2010/04/mughal-miniatures-painting-indias.html.
"Exploring Color In Mughal Paintings". 2018. Youtube. March 6, 2018. Accessed September 10, 2018. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WO9IkkjQhso.
Exploring Color in Mughal Paintings
- Interesting account of how artists derived such vibrant colors from natural pigments
Miniature Paintings Mughal Decline
In the 19th Century, The British succeeded the Mughals as rulers of India.
They introduced values that privileged western conception of fine art over applied art
New Hierarchy of Art: In 1872, under British patronage, miniature paintings was viewed as another sought out exotic product, along with Persian art and illustrated manuscripts.
Shah Alam II And the Mughal Imperial Throne
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Mughal Style Today National College of Arts (NCA)
Artists in Lahore: Miniature paintings are still being created today. Bashir Ahmed succeeded in introducing it as a major subject in the fine arts department in the school.
During the British periods, Western art and architecture styles helped evolved the new aesthetic canon. The school provided the platform for students to experiment with modern ideas into the medium.
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Mughal Style Today National College of Arts (NCA)
Had been modified and “modernized” : To survive the contemporary art institution,
traditional master-disciple relationship → two to four academic years
Essential techniques of Mughal musawwari → now use commercial watercolors and paper
Current students lack exposure to traditional material preparation
Leading to a indifference towards the craft
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‘The art of selling’ Became the essential for art itself.
This changes the global market and the concept of regional artists. Miniature paintings, for its easy handling and shipping, allured buyers from the West who were interested in “ethnic” aesthetics.
However, this encouraged other art educations and institutions to offer degrees in this unique art form and replicate NCA’s miniature department’s traditions.
Indian Summer at Dhigbal Nivas, Singh Sisters
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