Jain Miniature Paintings from Western India c6.224

c6.224

The history of the second group of palm-leaf painting coincides roughly with the establishment and consolidation of the Muslim power in Gujarāt. Its history starts from roughly 1350 A.D. and lasts till 1450, though, up till now, we have no illustrated manuscript in this group which could be dated prior to 1370 A.D. It is remarkable to notice a considerable improvement in this group of palm-leaf miniatures from the technical and aesthetic points of view. The drawing is finer; to the limited range of subjects of the first period are now added representations of the episodes from the life of the Jinas; every attempt is made to represent finer details, and there is palpable improvement in the colour tones. A natural question arises as to why these improvements were effected in those days of storm and stress, and when the State was also not much enthusiastic about such kind of artistic expression. To answer this question one has to keep before one's mind the greater cultural relations engendered by the Muslim conquest of Gujarāt between the people of Gujarāt and the Persians and the Turks. The Persians had already evolved the art of miniature painting to a great artistic height, and, in Western Indian painting, we see a faint reflection of that achievement. The time was too early and the ancient traditions too deep-rooted to have allowed Western Indian school to adopt such features from Persian art as the calligraphic conception of drawing, aerial perspective, high finish, etc.; nevertheless, we find attempts being made by Western Indian painters to give a lyrical feeling to their line; even fine hair strokes, a Persian characteristic, are resorted to and the use of gold and ultramarine, hitherto unknown in palm-leaf miniatures, is frequently made. All these innovations are Persian and show the earliest advancement in Indian technique; it was, however, reserved for Akbar the Great, who ruled India two hundred years later, to evolve fully an Indo-Persian school which we call Mughal.