Jahangir’s atelier preferred fewer works, each by a single master. What were the individual paintings mounted in albums, popular under Jahangir’s patronage, called?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Muraqqas
Option (1) Pichhwais — Incorrect. Pichhwais are large painted cloth hangings made for temple shrines, not single paintings mounted in albums.
Option (2) Pothis — Incorrect. Pothis are manuscripts of loose folios, as in the manuscript painting tradition. They are books, not albums.
Option (3) Muraqqas — Correct. Under Jahangir, individual paintings were mounted in albums called Muraqqas, with margins illuminated in gold.
Option (4) Ragamalas — Incorrect. Ragamalas are sets of paintings on musical modes (ragas and raginis), a theme of the Rajasthani and Pahari schools.
NCERT (2026-27): “The Mughal School of Miniature Painting In contrast to the Akbar’s atelier, where the works were mass produced, Jahangir’s atelier gave preference to a lesser number and better quality of artworks produced by a single master artist. The Muraqqas individual paintings to be mounted in albums became popular under Jahangir’s patronage. The margins of the paintings were highly illuminated in gold and embellished with flora, fauna, and often poised human figures.” |