Indian Sculpture and Painting, Illustrated by Typical Masterpieces, with an Explanation of their Motives and Ideals c11.112

c11.112

Professor Sarre is doubtless right in pointing out that, though Rembrandt made use of these miniatures for his oriental accessories, it cannot be said that his art was deeply influenced by them: European critics do not always show such discernment when they discover Indian artists borrowing Western details for their own use. At the same time it is probable that Rembrandt appreciated them highly, as every artist will. Rembrandt’s art was entirely individual, and not founded on any school; but there is a close affinity between the technique of the Mogul portrait painters and the traditions of the early Dutch and Flemish schools, which might have appealed to him. Very widely apart as the Mogul painting is from Rembrandt’s art in methods and point of view, there is an affinity between them in choice of subject: in both of them we find solemn, mysterious effects of concentrated light—especially the contrasts of nocturnal darkness with torchlight and firelight—and in both of them these effects are treated with wonderful largeness and poetic feeling. Plates LXIV., LXV., are fine examples of this little-known development in Mogul painting.