Mughal Art And Its Celebration Of Wildlife
Animals and for that plants have travelled across cultures for centuries, and have been assimilated in different ways. The Peacock symbolises Hera, the Greek goddess while Baobab, Adansonia digitata is worshipped as ‘Kalpvriksh in Western India. In Hinduism, floral and animal references are constant.
The Lotus, for example emerges in various interpretations all through history. Monuments that survive, are the ones made of stone and depict floral art and animal iconography. So is it of Buddhism, a much more austere religion, and of Jainism. Perhaps in pre-Islamic times many palaces and buildings were of wood. Understandably, these never survived. The most noteworthy of surviving iconography recognisable to all is the Ashokan Lion Capital which also has the Lotus.
Early Indo-Islamic powers drew their cultural heritage from Persia and Arabia. Floral motifs, in all their finery were carved and drawn, and matched with calligraphy in Persian and Arabic. Many Indo-Islamic artworks incorporated pre-Islamic Indian symbols, such as elephants and peacocks, which held religious or auspicious significance. Fusion styles emerged in architecture, with Hindu artisans contributing their skills to Islamic monuments, leading to syncretic designs featuring animals in a decorative capacity. In the later parts, depictions of birds, deer, and other animals in an illustrative style blending Persian and indigenous Rajput elements. Sultanate paintings showed rulers engaging in battle and hunts with cheetahs, elephants and falcons.
The late Henry Wilson, in his book, Floral patterns of India, takes the reader through the various stages
of evolution of art in India. He connects how modern day textile and pattern preferences in the subcontinent are faithful to the time tested lineage in using flowers, plants and leaves in aesthetics
The Mughal Empire (1526–1857) marked a golden age of artistic refinement, where nature and wildlife played a central role in art and aesthetics. Mughal rulers, particularly Akbar, Jahangir, and Shah Jahan, were fascinated by the natural world and patronized artists to document and celebrate its beauty. Their painters created intricate miniatures that depicted animals, birds, and lush landscapes, blending artistic brilliance with scientific observation. Calligraphy, florals and animal/ human iconography came together to form exquisite depictions of social commentary and natural history.
Mughal miniature paintings, influenced by Persian, Indian, and Central Asian traditions, often featured scenes of royal hunts, exotic animals, and naturalistic studies of flora and fauna. Emperor Jahangir, known for his keen interest in natural history, personally supervised artists who created detailed illustrations of animals such as elephants, deer, lions, and birds. These paintings were not only decorative but also served as scientific records, reflecting the empire’s appreciation of biodiversity.
While many of the existing artwork, housed in museums and
private collections world over are miniatures, the Mughals
had a fine tradition in curating books. The Kitabkhana
was a library meant for hand painted, hand bound tomes
meant for personal consumption and heirlooms to be
passed on. Hence many of the drawings which exist as
entire sheets are asymmetric to allow proper binding into a
book. Babur, fascinated by the newly conquered land and
its variety commissioned his memoirs Waqui’at-I baburi in
Chagtay Turkish. This was translated into Persian by Zahirud-din Mohammed Babur and touched up exquisitely –
the Baburnamah. Akbar however was volumes included
Hamzanama, Anwar i Suhayli,Tutinama, and more. The
tradition was continued by rulers who followed Babur,
notably Jahangir and Shah Jehan.
There is a school of thought that suggests that the final
painting was not the work of one artist. The main subject
was drawn and painted, and then handed over to others for
decorations. Then it was given to experts who did the borders.
The borders were called Hashiya. A set of line drawings,
Naqshanawis. These borders often featured delicate vines,
blooming flowers, and intertwining foliage, symbolizing the
harmony between nature and art. Some borders contained
repeating geometric designs, often painted in gold and
contrasting colors. These added a regal elegance to the
paintings. In some cases, Mughal artists or court scribes
added Persian or Arabic calligraphy in the borders, providing
descriptions of the animal or poetic verses praising nature.
A sophisticated technique involved using multiple layers of
framing, where an inner painted border would depict small
animals, birds, or hunting scenes, followed by an outer floral
or goldleaf border. Once ready, the dimensions were perfected
so that the drawings could be mounted
One of the most celebrated artists of the Mughal
era, Ustad Mansur was a master of animal and bird
illustration. He served under Emperor Akbar but gained
prominence during the reign of Jahangir, who had a
deep interest in natural history. Mansur meticulously
painted rare and exotic creatures brought to the
Mughal court, such as the Dodo, Siberian crane,
Bengal tiger, and Cheetah. His works, often labelled
as “Naqsh-e-Mansur” (designed by Mansur),
combined artistic beauty with scientific accuracy,
making them valuable records of extinct and
endangered species today. On examining Mansur’s
Siberian Crane drawing in the Indian Museum, in
the presence of of E. B Havell, (then Principal of the
Government Art School, Calcutta), Abanindranath
Tagore had famously remarked that ‘My word! As if a
live Crane was in front of me. What incredible detail
in the wrinkled skin of the legs and the tiny feathers
sticking to its sharp claws… why did I agonize so long
about finding proper indigenous material to emulate!” But where did Mansur see the Crane? There was
no Bharatpur Ghana. There was however, a large lake next to Fatehpur Sikri however. How far is Sikri from
Bharatpur?
Govardhan was a prominent artist who worked under Akbar, Jahangir, and Shah Jahan. Though primarily known for his portraits of nobles and ascetics, he also created stunning depictions of animals and hunting scenes. His style reflected a blend of Persian, Indian, and European influences, making his wildlife paintings particularly detailed and expressive
Basawan was one of the most innovative artists in Akbar’s court
and contributed significantly to Mughal naturalistic painting.
Though he was primarily a portraitist, he infused life into his
depictions of animals and birds, capturing their movements
and expressions with extraordinary precision. His use of light
and shadow brought a dramatic effect to wildlife compositions,
making them stand out in the Mughal artistic tradition.
It is common an understandable to see commonly seen birds
and animals I the Mughal portfolios. The Nilgai, or Chukhar or
Black Francolin must have observed on the royal grounds. And
then there were menageries and aviaries where all sorts of
animals and birds native and exotic were kept for amusement.
The Royal falconers would have Northern Goshawks and
Shaheen falcons. Sometimes, the artist could observe the
bird in habitat. Discussions with royal chroniclers would also
provide inputs. Th sub-continent had far more Lions and Tigers
and Cheetahs than it has today and hunts and shikar were held
regularly
It is common an understandable to see commonly seen birds
and animals I the Mughal portfolios. The Nilgai, or Chukhar or
Black Francolin must have observed on the royal grounds. And
then there were menageries and aviaries where all sorts of
animals and birds native and exotic were kept for amusement.
The Royal falconers would have Northern Goshawks and
Shaheen falcons. Sometimes, the artist could observe the
bird in habitat. Discussions with royal chroniclers would also
provide inputs. Th sub-continent had far more Lions and Tigers
and Cheetahs than it has today and hunts and shikar were held
regularly
Acknowledgements:
Nothing in this article is original but have been dealt in detail in various scholarly articles and richly illustrated volumes at various points of time. I have referred to ‘Wonder of Nature – Ustad Mansur at the Mughal Court’ by Asok Kumar Das published by The Marg Foundation, Mumbai; ‘The Emperors Album’ – The Metropolitan Museum of Art 1987; ‘Floral Patterns of India’ – Henry Wilson ( he gifted me a copy when we met last in 2015);. My personal discussions with Shri Valmik Thapar when he was doing up his two volume work on wildlife and medieval art (published as a limited edition set) were eye-opening as were my interactions with Shri Harshvardhanji of TWSI, Jaipur who happily shared his collection of reference books. I would like to thank them all
Nothing in this article is original but have been dealt in detail in various scholarly articles and richly illustrated volumes at various points of time. I have referred to ‘Wonder of Nature – Ustad Mansur at the Mughal Court’ by Asok Kumar Das published by The Marg Foundation, Mumbai; ‘The Emperors Album’ – The Metropolitan Museum of Art 1987; ‘Floral Patterns of India’ – Henry Wilson ( he gifted me a copy when we met last in 2015);. My personal discussions with Shri Valmik Thapar when he was doing up his two volume work on wildlife and medieval art (published as a limited edition set) were eye-opening as were my interactions with Shri Harshvardhanji of TWSI, Jaipur who happily shared his collection of reference books. I would like to thank them all
Sources & References
For further details, please refer to FANTAIL VOL 4; ISSUE#4 (Apr-June 2025) (Page 3 - 10).
