What characterises the development of portraiture at the Rajput courts Essay

What characterises the development of portraiture at the Rajput courts in the 17 th and 18 th centuries - Essay Example They ruled in India from the 15th through the 17th Century and partly in the 18th Century. The development of Rajput portraiture led to a major shift in style of art in terms detail, colour, portrait depth, margins, religion, political, and social aspects, as compared to what the Mughals had established during their reign. The painting in Hindu courts are more closely associated with the Rajputs, whereas those in the Indo-Islamic courts are closely linked with the Mughals. Rajput courts consisted of various themes such as those of religion, philosophy, famous rulers and court women; Mughal courts, on the other hand, portrayed secular themes. The Hindu paintings are what is referred to as Rajput and are named after Rajputana and the Hill Rajpput of the Punjab, whereas Mughal painting is closely connected to Islamic art. The Rajput paintings were a representative of religion and they were characterized by mysticism. Although Rajput art seemed to share a religious perspective with Buddhist art, what set Rajput apart was that it also reflected the faith and traditions of ordinary people. On the other hand, Mughal painting was sophisticated, diverse with characteristics of realism. The rise of Mughal painting was greatly influenced by Persian, Indian, Islamic, and to some extent, European art. With these c haracteristics, Mughal Art became something unique that constituted the Mughal Courts (Ananda 316). Rajput painting, alternatively known as Rajasthani painting, is a miniature style of art that is closely linked with the royal courts of the Rajputs (16th to 19th Centuries), the independent Hindu states in northern and western India. Though it followed the Western Indian style of manuscript illustration, it was greatly influenced by Mughal painting. The miniature style of art employed during the reign of Akbar (famous ruler and Mughal advocate, 1556-1605) characterized most of the paintings in the Rajput court. The influence