Padshahnama (The Chronicles of the King) was a Mughal painting project. Which Mughal emperor’s court atelier undertook it?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → Shah Jahan
Option (1) Akbar — Incorrect. Akbar’s atelier mass produced works and carried on the Hamza Nama that Humayun had begun.
Option (2) Jahangir — Incorrect. Jahangir’s atelier sought naturalism and scientific accuracy, with fewer works by single master artists.
Option (3) Aurangzeb — Incorrect. Aurangzeb was the son of Shah Jahan. He came to power only after defeating Dara Shikoh in the war of succession, so the Padshahnama, made in his father’s atelier, is not his project.
Option (4) Shah Jahan — Correct. The Padshahnama was undertaken by the court atelier of Shah Jahan, the son of Jahangir.
NCERT (2026-27): “The son of Jahangir, Prince Khurram, succeeded the throne of Delhi by the name Shah Jahan (1628–1658). With this, he not only acquired a politically stable empire but also the finest of artist and atelier. … Padshahnama (The Chronicles of the King) is one of the most exuberant painting projects undertaken by his court atelier and reflects the extraordinary manuscript that presents the height that Indian miniature painting achieved.” |