Mughal miniature paintings are a strong layer in Indian miniature paintings. At the same time, the depiction of women in Indian miniature paintings is a matter of critical review. We are now living in a time where its ‘reinterpretations’ provide new perspectives. German thinker Habermas said that representation is the giving of visibility to what is not visible. Here, when we say we are looking for representation in miniature paintings, we mean we are seeking the visibility of what was previously invisible.
In Indian miniature paintings, the depiction of women is a matter of critical review. In an essay, Mandakini Sharma, Ila Gupta, and P. N. Jha write about the representation of women in Early Indian Paintings; they argue that, in Indian miniature paintings, the Mughal miniature influenced and evolved into an ornamented style that blends different regional techniques into a particular style.
Mughal Miniature Paintings
The Akbar era shows the Hindu epics Ramayana and Mahabharata and presents “Islamic” material in a small form. Mandakini Sharma, Ila Gupta, and P. N. Jha claim that women were more frequently portrayed in paintings from Jahangir’s era in a variety of styles, including European, Persian, and Hindu. “The sensuous painting of the Jahangir period” refers to a painting that shows a young person having sex with a woman. According to one argument, “the women are portrayed in sensual moods in transparent clothes, waiting for their lovers or enjoying themselves with their female servants” in Indian miniature paintings.
A level of sensuality, elegance, and the joy of love emerges from the wonderful fabric of Mughal inventiveness through the big strokes of Mughal art. The magnificence of Mughal miniature paintings has previously been revealed in the academic community and is a topic of significant discussion. This creative movement flourished throughout the Mughal Empire, which dominated the Indian subcontinent from the early 16th to the mid-19th century. It captured a distinctive synthesis of artistic beauty and cultural complexity, blending with classic texts. Mughal art offers a close-up view of the intricate ways in which human connection, love, and desire are conveyed, in contrast to its better-known features, such as intricate miniature paintings and architectural marvels.
Examining the arguments in the article co-written by Mandakini Sharma, Ila Gupta, and P. N. Jha, it becomes clear that paintings and sculptures have been part of Indian spiritual practices since the Vedic period and later underwent changes, with miniature paintings becoming a decisive component. About Mughal miniature paintings, it is said that ‘its versatile enhancement has reached its highest peak during the Mughal period, but other dynasties also made significant contributions in the production of miniatures.’
The observation that Persian style and a fusion of Persian and Hindu tradition was a significant change in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries is strong. In the fifteenth century, according to Deneck (1967), ‘The artists started to portray women figures with full bosoms in standard body type.’ That is, these depictions had become ornamentally detailed under Mughal influence, though the transformation occurred gradually.
Women in Mughal Miniature
With Muhammad Ghori’s invasion of India (in 1192), the Persian influence began in Indian miniature paintings. There are extremely few texts that represent women in Mughal paintings. Additionally, Mughal miniature paintings are highly detailed and are closely tied to the storytelling of court events and social life, with a greater emphasis on the representation of political rank. Additionally, the king’s admiration for himself and his possessions, notably his ancestry, served as the focal point. With the exception of a few sexual paintings, depicting a woman in courtly or portraiture was extremely challenging due to the widespread and rigid adherence to the veil norm in Islamic society. Many depictions of women participating in sensual displays, such as a man surrounded by numerous ladies in a restroom scene, may be found in Mughal miniature paintings. Many paintings show concubines, maids, and dancers in courtly situations. However, the ladies are also depicted as princesses or moms, occasionally relaxing or having fun, write Mandakini Sharma, Ila Gupta, and P. N. Jha.
The main argument put forward is that, in miniature paintings, women were particularly used as objects of the male gaze. In the imperial Mughal style, the history of depicting women is a continuation of earlier practices; for example, the portrayal of women began with scenes of making love, waiting, toilet scenes, women engaged with other women, and so on. The so-called goddess or princess phenomenon, which originated in the mural tradition, has largely faded after the Mughal period, and only beautiful, well-proportioned women have been prominently displayed in erotic encounters, argue Mandakini Sharma, Ila Gupta, and P. N. Jha.
There are many possible answers to the question of why women were depicted in erotic backgrounds in Mughal paintings. The main possibility is that ‘the paintings were mostly created for the private collection of the emperors.’ Another possibility is that ‘artists were also directed by these emperors or the artists made such paintings to please their emperors for rewards and the highest rank in their regime.’
The Ram Bagh epitomises the imperial Mughal (1526-1858) garden aesthetic that thoroughly integrated nature and architecture. Carpets like fields of flowers, wall paintings of cypresses, open porches with blossom-adorned columns, and water channels that ran from exterior to interior contributed to a fluid, delightful whole. Delicately scented breezes and burbling fountains further set the stage for royal pastimes.) (Image credit: asia.si.edu)
Leila Prasertwaitaya states that the women in miniature paintings from the Shah Jahan period (ca. 1628-1658) ‘depict idealised archetypes with subtle differences in facial and bodily features.’ She says that one can see the idealised concept of women of the eighteenth century. The Mughal beauty stands in a little garden filled with poppies, yellow flowers, and purple star-shaped florets. In her right hand, she is holding a crimson flower, and in her left, a handkerchief. Her right fingertips have a red makeup smear. She is positioned against a flat, peaceful, and whimsical turquoise backdrop. An allusion to the subject’s flowering youth and fecundity, the painting’s outside border features a wide variety of stylised flowers that give the impression of a garden encircling the woman, writes Prasertwaitaya.
Leila Prasertwaitaya argues that the repetition of visual elements, such as a slim waist and voluptuous hips, epitomises the Mughal vision of female beauty in the mid-seventeenth century, regardless of whether these depictions actually resembled women of the period. The question of whether they may have become models for miniature paintings is also raised here. Leila Prasertwaitaya says, ‘Since courtesans and female entertainers were able to cross between male and female spaces, they may have also served as models for Mughal portraits of women.’ The essence is that artistic activity occurred amidst many circumstances.
What is a woman in Mughal art? How is their agency represented? Prasertwaitaya answers these questions by saying, ‘Even subsidiary images of women in Mughal painting, such as the attendant in the Tutinama page, mirror important aspects of feminine identity in South Asian culture. The stories of the Tutinama are fictional, but this painting offers compelling clues into how late-sixteenth-century women may have looked and what aspects of female adornment were significant.’
The main argument of Prasertwaitaya is that the position of women in paintings, their representation, and their role and place in the royal family and governance are clearly understood. In particular, in early paintings, Mughal women were not veiled, moved about freely in public, travelled abroad frequently, participated in sports, and indulged in leisurely activities as they pleased.
It is clear that during this period, Mughal women enjoyed greater freedom and wielded significant power and influence, including in matters of royal administration. It can also be seen that these practices began to change during Jahangir’s reign, and women wearing veils began to appear in paintings. The queen mother, modestly adorned in an opaque shawl, is surrounded by diverse women of the harem. In the lower left corner, a curtain hangs at the entrance to the women’s domain and serves as a barrier for the men outside. A girl peeks out from the side of the curtain as if to catch a glimpse of what is beyond the harem. The painting illustrates a distinct separation between male and female spaces, a practice that appeared in other Indian court traditions, writes Prasertwaitaya.
In the painting ‘Jahangir Celebrates the Festival of Holi (ca. 1635)’, the freedom that women experienced inside the palace is also revealed, romanticising harem activities. The scene depicts women joyfully celebrating Holi, a springtime festival that celebrates fertility, as they drink and play music. In celebration, participants toss each other and gulal, a colourful powder. A woman playfully applies red powder to her companion’s face in the lower right corner of the Mughal picture. Nur Jahan’s biographer, Ellison Banks, recognises a woman in the painting as the queen. Nur Jahan is recognised with a crown-like headgear. The right-hand maid of Jahangir helps the inebriated and incapacitated ruler to his bed, as quoted by Prasertwaitaya. The fact that the Mughals publicly observed both Hindu and Muslim holidays, a sign of their multicultural culture, makes this artwork noteworthy as well.
No matter how we look at them, Mughal miniature paintings are indications of numerous subjects. They reflect various aspects, including the position of women at that time, the respect they received, their authority, and their presence in public spaces. Above all, the only artefacts available are the miniature paintings created during the Mughal period. These works cannot be dismissed by simply calling them Islamic art. Every Mughal miniature painting is deeply historical. Behind each painting lie layers of history. However, we need both eyes to see and the mind to comprehend.
Feature image: (L) Jahangir celebrates the Hindu festival of Holi from the Minto Album by Govardhan (source: The Trustees of the Chester Beatty Library, Dublin) (R) Jahangir playing Holi in his harem / c.1800 / Lucknow / Provincial Mughal Painting, Awadh style (Source: National Gallery of Australia) timesnownews
Krispin Joseph PX, a poet and journalist, completed an MFA in art history and visual studies at the University of Hyderabad and an MA in sociology and cultural anthropology from the Central European University, Vienna.
