Fine ArtsThe Manuscript Painting Tradition

Paintings from the medieval period have earned a generic name. Which…

Paintings from the medieval period have earned a generic name. Which option gives this name and the reason for it?

Answer & explanation

Correct answer: option 3

The correct answer is Option (3) → Miniature paintings, owing to their relatively smaller size

Option (1) Manuscript illustrations, owing to the verses written on them — Incorrect. Manuscript illustrations is the name of a large section of paintings that are pictorial translations of poetic verses. It is not the generic name of all medieval paintings.
Option (2) Manuscript illustrations, owing to their relatively smaller size — Incorrect. The smaller size gave medieval paintings the name miniature paintings. Manuscript illustrations are named for being translations of poetic verses.
Option (3) Miniature paintings, owing to their relatively smaller size — Correct. Medieval paintings earned the generic name miniature paintings owing to their relatively smaller size.
Option (4) Miniature paintings, owing to their fine minutiae — Incorrect. The name is right but the reason is not. Their minutiae is why they were observed from a closer distance; the name comes from their size.

Note: This topic was not named in the CUET 2026 syllabus, but it was part of the NCERT chapter. In 2025 and 2026, NTA also asked questions on topics in NCERT that the CUET syllabus did not name. So our mocks have questions from every part of the NCERT chapter, to give you enough practice. Read the whole chapter, not only the sub-topics named in the syllabus.

NCERT (2026-27): “The Manuscript Painting Tradition …Paintings from the medieval period have earned a generic name, for example miniature paintings, owing to their relatively smaller size. These miniature paintings were hand-held and observed from a closer distance due to their minutiae. The walls of a patron’s mansions were often decorated with mural paintings. Hence, these miniatures were never intended to be put up on the walls. A large section of paintings are appropriately referred to as manuscript illustrations as they are pictorial translations of poetic verses…”

Paintings from the medieval period have earned a generic name. Which option gives this name and the reason for it?

Answer & explanation

Correct answer: option 3

The correct answer is Option (3) → Miniature paintings, owing to their relatively smaller size

Option (1) Manuscript illustrations, owing to the verses written on them — Incorrect. Manuscript illustrations is the name of a large section of paintings that are pictorial translations of poetic verses. It is not the generic name of all medieval paintings.
Option (2) Manuscript illustrations, owing to their relatively smaller size — Incorrect. The smaller size gave medieval paintings the name miniature paintings. Manuscript illustrations are named for being translations of poetic verses.
Option (3) Miniature paintings, owing to their relatively smaller size — Correct. Medieval paintings earned the generic name miniature paintings owing to their relatively smaller size.
Option (4) Miniature paintings, owing to their fine minutiae — Incorrect. The name is right but the reason is not. Their minutiae is why they were observed from a closer distance; the name comes from their size.