Although miniature painting is most often associated with Mughal art, it dates back many centuries in India where different styles developed. A major change in style occurred in the sixteenth century when the Mughal rulers brought Persian master artists from the city of Tabriz to India. These master artists trained Indian artists who produced paintings in a new, distinctive Mughal style.

In Rajasthan, several distinct schools of painting evolved. The four major schools are: Mewar, Marwar, Bundi-Kota, and Amber-Jaipur. The most important Marwar centers were Bikaner and Jodhpur whose rulers employed Mughal-trained artists.

Today, many artists continue to make miniature paintings which are produced on silk, ivory, cotton, and paper. The paintings shown here were purchased at a stall outside the museum in Junagarh Fort in Bikaner. Many of the paintings for sale were of flowers and animals. However, I preferred the more traditional Mughal style. They are painted on old paper which was purchased in the bazaar.

Additional Reading:
Indian Miniature Painting
by Anjan Chakraverty
Tiger Books International, London, 1996
ISBN 1-85501-766-0

Indian Court Painting: 16th-19th Centuries
by Steven Kossak
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1997
Distributed by Harry N. Abrams, Inc.
ISBN 0-87099-782-3 (hard copy)