Miniature Art

Miniature painting is a traditional art form that originated in India in the 16th century. It is characterized by intricate and detailed paintings that are typically small in size, ranging from a few inches to a few feet. The art form is known for its vibrant colors, delicate brushwork, and intricate details, which are often used to depict scenes from mythology, literature, and everyday life.

History of

Miniature Art

Miniature painting has a rich history that spans over four centuries. It emerged during the Mughal Empire (1526-1756), when artists from Persia and other parts of Asia were invited to India to work on the imperial court’s art projects. These artists brought with them their own unique styles and techniques, which eventually blended with the existing Indian art traditions to create a distinct style of miniature painting. Over time, miniature painting evolved and spread to different parts of India, with various schools and sub-schools emerging in different regions. The most notable schools of miniature painting are the Mughal, Rajasthani, and Pahari schools, each with its own unique style and characteristics.

Indian Miniature Painting Timeline

Types of Miniature Art

RAJASTHANI MINIATURE
(1550-1900 AD)

SUB SCHOOLS

Mewar

Marwar

Chamba

Haroti

Dhundhar

MUGHAL MINIATURE
(1526-1857 AD)

PHASES

Early period

Middle period

Aurangzeb's Era

Later period

PAHARI MINIATURE
(1700-1900 AD)

SUB SCHOOLS

Bhasoli

Guler

Chamba

Kangra

Mandi

Nurpur

Garhwal

Characteristics of Miniature Painting

Intricate details: Miniature paintings are known for their intricate details, which are often achieved using fine brushes and a range of colors.
Vibrant colors: Miniature paintings are often brightly colored, with a range of colors used to depict different scenes and emotions.
Delicate brushwork: Miniature paintings require great skill and delicacy, with artists using fine brushes to create intricate details and patterns.
Small size: Miniature paintings are typically small in size, ranging from a few inches to a few feet.
Narrative style: Miniature paintings often tell a story or depict a scene from mythology, literature, or everyday life.

Techniques Used in Miniature Painting

Gouache: A type of opaque watercolor paint that is commonly used in miniature painting.
Tempera: A type of paint that is made from egg yolks, pigment, and water.
Gold and silver leaf: Thin sheets of gold and silver that are used to add intricate details and patterns to miniature paintings.
Brushwork: Fine brushes are used to create intricate details and patterns in miniature paintings.

Miniature Art

Phases of Miniature Art

EARLY PHASE

RAJASTHANI MINIATURE

udaipur

bundi

MUGHAL MINIATURE

humayun Era

akbar era

MID - PHASE

RAJASTHANI MINIATURE

Nathwara

Jodhpur

Bikaner

Nagore

MUGHAL MINIATURE

Jahangir era

Shahjahan era

PAHARI MINIATURE

Basholi

LATER PHASE

RAJASTHANI MINIATURE

Devgarh

Kishangarh

Ajmer

Kota

Jaipur

Uniyara

MUGHAL MINIATURE

Aurangzeb era

PAHARI MINIATURE

Guler

Kangra

Chamba

Comparative Study

Phases

RAJASTHANI MINIATURE

MUGHAL MINIATURE

PAHARI MINIATURE

Early Phase

Bundi

HUMAYUN AND AKBAR ERA (Early)

–

TITLE – BARAH MASA ( MAAGH RAG)
SCHOOL – HAROTI
MEDIUM – TEMPERA ON SHEET
DIMENSIONS- 11 X 7.8 INCHES

Bold and vibrant colors.
Hindu mythology, local court scenes, and nature.
Figures are stylized with exaggerated features and expressive faces.
Emphasis on intricate patterns and rich decorative elements.
Conveying emotion and atmosphere through patterns and backgrounds, often featuring local flora, fauna, and architecture.
Emotive and vibrant, with intricate designs and stylized human figures.

TITLE – EMPEROR AKBAR WITH HIS son
MEDIUM- TEMPERA ON PAPER
DIMENSIONS – 19.5 X 13.5 INCHES

Naturalistic colors with realistic shades.
Historical events, royal portraits, court scenes, battles, and literary works.
Figures are realistically depicted with individualized expressions and elaborate costumes.
Focus on fine details, realistic portrayal, and balanced compositions.
Emphasizing realism, perspective, and depth to reflect the authority and grandeur of the Mughal court.
Realistic and detailed, with an emphasis on narrative quality and sophisticated portrayal

Mid Phase

NATHDWARA, JODHPUR,
BIKANER, NAGORE

JAHANGIR AND SHAH JAHAN ERA (Middle)

BASOHLI

TITLE – WORSHIP OF VARAHA AVTAAR
MEDIUM – TEMPERA ON PAPER
DIMENSIONS- 10 X 8 inches

Vivid colors, including gold and silver.
Hindu mythology, royal court scenes, and romantic tales.
Figures are elongated with almond-shaped eyes, dynamic and detailed.
Fine brushwork is used, intricate patterns, and elaborate architecture.
Focus on motion and dynamism, with a rich decorative approach.

TITLE – Shahjahan on a terrace holding a bud.
MEDIUM- TEMPERA ON PAPER
DIMENSIONS – 18 X 13 INCHES

Sophisticated with subdued tones.
Courtly life, historical events, battles, and hunting scenes.
Figures are Realistically portrayed with precise details.
Refined elegance, realistic portrayal, use of perspective and shading.
Symmetry, precision, and attention to detail.

TITLE – Lord Brahma
MEDIUM- natural pigments on tempera paper
DIMENSIONS – 8.5 X 5.8 INCHES

Bold and vibrant, transitioning to softer hues in later periods.
Hindu deities, romantic legends, devotional themes, and idyllic landscapes.
Figures are stylized with exaggerated expressions.
Early works use primary colors and bold outlines; later works incorporate naturalistic elements.
Expressive quality and depiction of lush, hilly landscapes.

Later Phase

KISHANGARH

AURANGZEB ERA

KANGRA

TITLE – BANI THANI
MEDIUM – TEMPERA ON PAPER
DIMENSIONS- 13.2 X 9 inches

Vibrant colors with intricate patterns.
Romantic and lyrical, focusing on Radha and Krishna.
Figures are elegant, elongated with arched eyebrows, lotus-shaped eyes, and sharp profiles.
Detailed backgrounds with idyllic landscapes and architectural elements.
Beauty, elegance, and emotion.

TITLE – Bahadur Shah Zafar and his wife
MEDIUM- TEMPERA ON PAPER
DIMENSIONS – 11.8 X 8.2 INCHES

More vibrant colors, with simplified compositions.
Includes everyday life, flora, fauna, and portraiture of emperors and nobles.
Maintains refined elegance but with less emphasis on realism.
More decorative backgrounds influenced by European botanical illustrations.
Refined elegance, less realism, and increased European influences.

TITLE – Courtseman with his family
MEDIUM- natural pigments on tempera paper
DIMENSIONS – 9.8 X 7.2 INCHES

Soft pastel colors.
Lyrical beauty and Hindu mythology, especially Radha and Krishna.
Figures are naturalistic, graceful figures with soft expressions.
Lush, detailed landscapes with rolling hills and rivers.
Focus on romanticism, naturalism, and the delicate beauty of nature.

CENTURY

RAJASTHANI MINIATURE

MUGHAL MINIATURE

PAHARI MINIATURE

Early Phase

Bundi

HUMAYUN AND AKBAR ERA (Early)

–

TITLE – BARAH MASA ( MAAGH RAG)
SCHOOL – HAROTI
MEDIUM – TEMPERA ON SHEET
DIMENSIONS- 11 X 7.8 INCHES

Bold and vibrant colors.
Hindu mythology, local court scenes, and nature.
Figures are stylized with exaggerated features and expressive faces.
Emphasis on intricate patterns and rich decorative elements.
Conveying emotion and atmosphere through patterns and backgrounds, often featuring local flora, fauna, and architecture.
Emotive and vibrant, with intricate designs and stylized human figures.

TITLE – EMPEROR AKBAR WITH HIS son
MEDIUM- TEMPERA ON PAPER
DIMENSIONS – 19.5 X 13.5 INCHES

Naturalistic colors with realistic shades.
Historical events, royal portraits, court scenes, battles, and literary works.
Figures are realistically depicted with individualized expressions and elaborate costumes.
Focus on fine details, realistic portrayal, and balanced compositions.
Emphasizing realism, perspective, and depth to reflect the authority and grandeur of the Mughal court.
Realistic and detailed, with an emphasis on narrative quality and sophisticated portrayal

Mid Phase

NATHDWARA, JODHPUR,
BIKANER, NAGORE

JAHANGIR AND SHAH JAHAN ERA (Middle)

BASOHLI

TITLE – WORSHIP OF VARAHA AVTAAR
MEDIUM – TEMPERA ON PAPER
DIMENSIONS- 10 X 8 inches

Vivid colors, including gold and silver.
Hindu mythology, royal court scenes, and romantic tales.
Figures are elongated with almond-shaped eyes, dynamic and detailed.
Fine brushwork is used, intricate patterns, and elaborate architecture.
Focus on motion and dynamism, with a rich decorative approach.

TITLE – Shahjahan on a terrace holding a bud.
MEDIUM- TEMPERA ON PAPER
DIMENSIONS – 18 X 13 INCHES

Sophisticated with subdued tones.
Courtly life, historical events, battles, and hunting scenes.
Figures are Realistically portrayed with precise details.
Refined elegance, realistic portrayal, use of perspective and shading.
Symmetry, precision, and attention to detail.

TITLE – Lord Brahma
MEDIUM- natural pigments on tempera paper
DIMENSIONS – 8.5 X 5.8 INCHES

Bold and vibrant, transitioning to softer hues in later periods.
Hindu deities, romantic legends, devotional themes, and idyllic landscapes.
Figures are stylized with exaggerated expressions.
Early works use primary colors and bold outlines; later works incorporate naturalistic elements.
Expressive quality and depiction of lush, hilly landscapes.

Later Phase

KISHANGARH

AURANGZEB ERA

KANGRA

TITLE – BANI THANI
MEDIUM – TEMPERA ON PAPER
DIMENSIONS- 13.2 X 9 inches

Vibrant colors with intricate patterns.
Romantic and lyrical, focusing on Radha and Krishna.
Figures are elegant, elongated with arched eyebrows, lotus-shaped eyes, and sharp profiles.
Detailed backgrounds with idyllic landscapes and architectural elements.
Beauty, elegance, and emotion.