Miniature Painting in Pakistan: History, Influences and Future

Abstract: This is an 8 page paper discussing the history, influences and contemporary issues in miniature painting in Pakistan and India. The art of miniature painting was first known to exist in Persia where it was imported from into India during the 1500s at the beginning of the Mughal dynasties. In the Mughal schools of artistry, the art of miniature painting was given a more intense and dynamic feel which differentiated it from the formal structures used by the Persians. The technique is very specific in its use of wasli paper, squirrel hair brushes and vivid water based paint applied in multiple layers to earn it a silky finish. When the Mughal dynasty was displaced, so too were many of the artists who then had to earn livings applying their craft to other objects such as walls and furniture. During the late 1800s, when Indian nationalism began to take place, a revival of the traditional arts led to the re-introduction of miniature painting into the educational system where artists could earn specialties in it. Today, the art of miniature painting is one of the more popular and traditional methods of art especially found in the graduates of the National College of Arts in Lahore, Pakistan, the only school in the world offering a specialty in miniature painting. Modern miniature artists apply traditional Mughal methods in their depictions of the contemporary world and the political and lifestyle issues in Pakistan. Bibliography lists 6 sources.

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Catagory: Artists, Art Genre, & Famous Works Of Art

Subcatagory: Art & Architecture

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