According to Babur’s memoirs, what did the Persian master Bihzad do while drawing faces?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → He greatly lengthened the double chin.
Option (1) He excelled in the art of portraiture. — Incorrect. Babur felt Bihzad did not draw the faces well. Skill in portraiture is what made Mir Sayyid Ali and Abd us Samad famous.
Option (2) He drew bearded faces poorly. — Incorrect. Babur said the opposite: Bihzad drew bearded faces admirably.
Option (3) He greatly lengthened the double chin. — Correct. Babur wrote that Bihzad used to greatly lengthen the double chin (ghab-ghab).
Option (4) He excelled in the representation of hairstyle. — Incorrect. Babur gave this praise to another painter, Shah Muzaffar.
NCERT (2026-27): “Early Mughal Painting …Among the artists, who find mention in Babur’s memoirs is Bihzad. Bihzad’s work was dainty but he did not draw the faces well; he used to greatly lengthen the double chin (ghab-ghab); and drew bearded faces admirably. Bihzad was a master artist from the Persian school of painting, Herat (now in present day Afghanistan), and was known for his sophisticated compositions and colour tints. Also, Shah Muzaffar finds a mention as a painter, who Babur thought excelled in the representation of hairstyle.” “Early Mughal Painting …Impressed by the artists and with an ambition to recreate such art workshops in India, Humayun brought back with him the master artists when he regained power in India. He invited two Persian artists — Mir Sayyid Ali and Abd us Samad to establish a studio in his court and carry out royal paintings. It is important to note here that both the artists were famous and respected particularly for their skills in the art of portraiture.” |