Indian Painting under the Mughals, A.D. 1550 to A.D. 1750 c11.16

c11.16

In any attempt to epitomize the characteristics of the graphic art of Asia, it might be said that the most striking feature of the painting of China and Japan is its line, of Persia its line and colour, while the Indian miniature, although displaying a knowledge of both line and form, owes its principal charm to its colour. The Indian craftsman of the Mughal period specially craved for colour, as may be seen in his textiles, in his enamels, in his architecture brilliant with inlay and glaze, and in his painting the rich colour-scheme of which first attracts the eye. It is possible that the nature of his environment may have had something to do with this. Hindustan comprises an extensive tract of alluvial country, which from the absence of rain during the greater part of the year mainly assumes a monotonous yellow hue. And, as a compensation for these monochrome surroundings, the Indian people fly to colour, as shown in the wonderful tints of their costume, particularly that of the womenkind. This appetite for colour, which is met by the lowly with gay garments, is just as pronounced in the upper classes and those whose circumstances enable them to make more display, as is proved by the variegated hues of their household effects, wall-hangings, horse equipage, and furnishings generally. It is only to be expected, therefore, that the Mughal court would show what could be done in luxurious colour-effects by amazing combinations of embroideries and cloths of gold, of painting and gilding, of marble and precious stones, pictures of which the state artists were never tired of reproducing. In his efforts to transfer to paper the kaleidoscopic scenes thus presented the artist was compelled to employ a lavish palette, and it is not unlikely that this was one of the means of stimulating his colour-sense to such fine achievements. Colour, therefore, being the dominant note of the Mughal miniatures, it will be realized that the reproduction of these by monotone prints, as are the majority of illustrations in this work, however well prepared, gives a very inadequate idea of their characteristic feature. Moreover, any method of black and white is apt to emphasize unfairly many of those qualities which, when associated with a well-conceived colour-scheme, fall quite naturally into their proper place in the composition. These remarks apply with greater force to pictures like the Mughal miniatures, as they represent an art not generally known, original examples of which many may not have seen. Nevertheless if these illustrations are regarded more as shorthand notes of the subject rather than an attempt at facsimiles of the pictures themselves, the object for which they have been introduced will have been attained. To the colour prints, which have been as skilfully prepared as a mechanical process will permit, and which present in each case a very acceptable duplicate of the original, the student may turn with more confidence. From these he may be able to divine something of the marvellous harmonies and contrasts of their colour-schemes—'to feed on colour' as the artist intended him to do. But even these do not reveal the true spirit of the art, its delicacy and choice of tones, the sense of air and space, the discreet use of gold, the shot greens and silver-threaded greys, that the painter so successfully realized. To see and appreciate these unreproduceable qualities the reader must go to the originals—must study collections of the pictures themselves in those public libraries and art galleries which possess examples of the art.