Political events in Jahangir’s reign—Feb. 3(cont. from last class)
Rise of Nur Jahan after 1611—father Itmad-ud-daulah and brother Asaf Khan rise in administration
Matrimonial alliances with young princes cement family’s position, evidence of Nur Jahan’s power
Jahangir’s final illness and the struggle between Nur Jahan’s faction and Prince Khuram
Art in Jahangir’s Court
Art was an important part of building courtly culture and a dynastic ideology. As the readings for today
emphasize, these movements were not limited to the royal courts, but widely copies at the provincial level,
leading to new innovations and styles. Some important themes developed during Jahangir’s time were:
• Interest in European uses of perspective and shading
• Continued emphasis on naturalism (started in Akbar’s time)
• Continued borrowing from Persian and Indian artistic traditions
• Individual development of artistic vision rather than a common imperial style
• A trend towards symbolic imagery
Hybridization in Mughal Art
 Older Rajput styles had a flat perspective, stiff modeling of figures, warmer palette, and an emphasis on
horizontal linear presentation with geometric shapes
 Central Asian/Persian styles had more curved margins and lines, cooler palettes, and equally stylized
modeling of figures and scenery borrowed from Chinese art
 Under Akbar a new hybridized style mixing these two approaches began (see leaf from the Bhagvad
Purana-Krishna holding Mt. Govardhan)
 The new style was also innovative adding more naturalistic rendering of forms.
Under Jahangir further innovations developed, some were based on influences of European painting traditions,
such as:
• Transitions from borrowing of elements (angels, scenery)
• To duplication of exact themes and techniques
• Adaptation to Mughal styles, particularly in allegorical and symbolic compositions
While each artist developed differently, most showed some common traits
• Interest in depicting nature, or naturalism in painting style even in very
artificial/formal/symbolic themes
• Increased use of symbolic themes
• Movement towards an abstraction of meaning and content
Jahangir depicted in specific ways:
• Idea of world conqueror—Jahan—gir
• The lion and lamb motif, which also appears on the base of the mughal throne
• The king as a charismatic/semi-divine figure
• The hourglass as a symbol of the King’s ordering of time
Growing interest in themes from nature—botanical and zoological prints
The Place of art in Imperial style:
• The creation of the noble as a connoisseur of all things fine—calligraphy, clothes, jewelry, art,
knowledge
• The Emperor’s lifestyle copied by courtiers
• Emperor’s public appearances become less frequent, but private audiences with select nobles continue
• Regional courts of mansabdars replicate both patronage and aesthetics
• Dependent on a large fortune—either through imperial salary or inheritance
• Exposure and socialization to court culture becomes an important part of acceptance into the elite—not
just administrative or military talents
• The emperor functions as the ideal model for such courtly behavior, the rarity of public appearances
heightening their importance