When the Mughals left the country hundreds of years ago, they left their imprints on the Indian culture and art form. Today we get only glimpses of the bygone Mughal era through period films, old jewellery, monuments and sculptures.
For all art lovers here is a chance to experience the Mughal era.
A Mughal miniature painting workshop will be held on September 15 and 16 at 3rd Floor, PageTurners Bookstore, 89, Kannan Building, M G Road, Bangalore from 10.30 am to 5.30 pm.
All participants will get to learn the basic techniques of this form of painting and also complete one painting. This workshop will beconducted by a traditional Mughal miniature artist who from Jaipur.
History of Mughal Miniature Paintings: Mughal paintings of India date back to the period between the 16th and 18th century, when the Mughals ruled a large part of the country. The art of Mughal painting was introduced by the Mughal emperor Humayun.
Mughal miniature painting reached its peak during the reign of Akbar, and also flourished during Jahangir’s rule, as well as Shah Jahan’s.
Mughal painting is a particular style of South Asian painting and during this period it continued to refine itself with elements of realism and naturalism. It was a unique blend of Indian, Persian and Islamic styles. The painters focused mostly on court scenes, royal portraits, natural scenes and landscapes.
Bright colors were used in their making. They exhibited more narrative content. In Mughal miniatures colours were derived from natural materials. They were prepared by the artists themselves.
Raw materials like vegetables, fruits, oil, soil, lime, indigo and lapis lazuli were used in the making. Even eggs, gold powder and silver foil were sometimes used. The initial sketch was made using burnt wood. Mughal miniature paintings are still being created today by a small number of artists in Rajasthan concentrated mainly in Jaipur.
About the artist: The artist Sri Mohan Kumar Prajapati is from Jaipur and has been practising this art form for over 30 years. He hails from a family of Moghul miniature artists and has learnt this art from from his father.