IGNOU HISTORY NOTES : India History From 8th to Mid 15th Century - Painting and Fine Arts

IGNOU HISTORY Study Notes for IAS, UPSC Exams

History India From 8th to Mid 15th Century

Painting and Fine Arts

Structure

34.0 Objectives
34.1 Introduction
34.2 Antecedents
34.21 Painting in the 15th Century
34.22 Painting under Early Mughlas
34.3 Evolution of Mughal School under Akbar
34.3.1 Establishment of Royal Atelier
34.3.2 Style and Technique
34.3.3 Distinctive Features
34.4 Development under Jahangir and Shahjahan
34.4.1 Introduction of New Styles
34.4.2 Thematic Variation
34.4.3 Final Phase
34.5 European-Impact on Mughal Painting
34.6 Painting in the Deccan
34.6.1 Court Pauo~mge
34.6.2 Style and Theme
34.7 Rajput Painting
34.7.1 Style and Theme
34.7.2 Main Centres
34.8 Fine Arts under Mughals
34.8.1 Music
34.8.2 Dance and Drama
34.9 Let Us Sum Up
34.10 Key Words
34.11 Answers to Check Your Progress Exercises

34.0 OBJECTIVES

Cultural values are often reflected through the medium of paintings and tine arts. After
going through this Unit, you will be able to know the following:

the development of painting' during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries;
the various styles and techniques of painting;
the thematic variations in the paintings in different regions, and
the development of fine arts viz., music, dance and theatrical in the &urts of the Mughals and other regional kingdoms;

34.1 INTRODUCTION

The sixteenth century, especially its second half, marks a watershed in the developmeilt of
the art of painting and music in India. Akbar gave liberal patrollage to the growth of fine
arts during his rule. His successors also showed great interest in these ps, so that by the
end of the seventeenth century painting and music in the Mughal court'reached unparalleled
height.
Simultaneously, in the Deccan, was evolving another peat tradition d painting and music
solrlewhat independent of the Mughal influence. Later, in the eighteeiltll century, the
patronage to painting shifted from the Mughal court to regional kingdoins, such as RajGthan
and Punjab.
In the following pages you will read details of the emergence of these various traditions of
painting along wiih the growth of other fine arts.