Indian Painting under the Mughals, A.D. 1550 to A.D. 1750 c19.3.1

c19.3.1

MUGHAL painting may be considered to have reached its maturity under the Emperor Jahangir. At this point in its evolution it had ceased to copy the pictures of the Persian artists, and it had also learnt to control the dictates of the indigenous mural decorator, taking only what was good from both. In a word, the two arts had become fused into one. Moreover, the painting of this time was not yet impregnated to any serious extent with the art of the West. The period thus indicated, when Mughal painting was independent of these different influences, is a narrow one. It is fairly well defined on its earlier side because it is marked by Jahangir’s personal interest in the subject, the results of which became noticeable about the year 1610. The other limit is, however, less certain. European elements began to assert themselves in many ways during this emperor’s reign, but without any serious effects on the actual character of the art. Probably with Jahangir’s failing health about the year 1625, when the vigour of his supervision declined, the end of the short period of its culmination may be recorded. There was much good work executed both before and after these dates, but the school was undoubtedly at its meridian during these fifteen years. Jahangir’s treatment of the subject differed somewhat from his father’s.