UNIT : 2 – The Deccan Schools of Painting

The Deccan Schools of Painting originated in the Deccan region of India between the late 16th and 18th centuries. Drawing inspiration from Persian, Mughal, and local South Indian art styles, these paintings cultivated a unique identity that showcased the splendor of the Deccan Sultanates. Key centers of Deccan painting included Bijapur, Golconda, Ahmednagar, Bidar, and Hyderabad.

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Get detailed CBSE Class 12 Fine Arts Notes on The Deccan Schools of Painting. Learn about its key features, major schools, famous artists, and forensic importance. Perfect for Class 12 Painting Notes and board exam preparation.

Origin And Development

The history of Deccan Painting can largely be constructed from the late 16th century until the 1680s. The Deccan style of Painting was placed under the Indo-Persian art for long. It was considered to be Middle Eastern, Safavid, Persian, Turkish and even Mughal in origin.

The kingdoms of Bijapur, Golconda and Ahmadnagar developed highly sophisticated and distinct school of court painting. Its unique sensuality and intense colours have strong affinity to regional aesthetics. The school preferred dense composition and attempted to create an aura of romance, which invariably expressed itself in an idiom that was eloquently natural and vivid.

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Ahmednagar School Of Painting

Deccan painting are in a volume of poems, celebrating the reign of Hussain Nizam Shah I of Ahmadnagar (1553–1565).
The women in the paintings of Ahmadnagar wear a modified northern costume with choli (bodice) and long braided pigtails, ending in a tassel. Only a long scarf, passing round the body below the hips, is a southern fashion, which is seen in the Lepakshi frescoes.
Paintings of the Deccan have similar characteristics. These feminine dress, present in a series of Ragamala paintings, are the most striking and moving examples of the 16th century Deccan Schools of Painting.
The high circular horizon and gold sky have Persian influence.
The horizon, in the painting, disappears and is replaced by a neutral coloured ground patterned all over with small stylised plants, or occupied by symmetrical architectural domes over the archades.
Male costume is also decisively northern. The Jama with pointed tails is frequently seen in early Akbari miniatures and probably originated in the area somewhere between Delhi and Ahmedabad. The small pagri is close to the form found in the earliest Akbari miniatures. The original paintings in the Gulistan of 1567 have been attributed by art historians to the Bukhara artists.
This supported by a manuscript is now in the collection of Bankipore Library, Patna. It is signed by a scribe, Yusuf, and is dedicated to Ibrahim Adil (1569), presumably Ibrahim Qutb Shah of Golconda, who ruled from 1550–1580.

Bijapur School of Painting

Paintings from Bijapur in the 16th century have a richly illustrated encyclopaedia known as the Nujum al-Ulum dated 1570. Among the 876 miniatures, which adorn this remarkable little volume, many illustrate weapons and utensils, while others the constellations.
The school of Bijapur was patronised by Ali Adil Shah I (1558–1580) and his successor Ibrahim II (1580–1627), both patrons of art and literature. He was also an expert in Indian music and author of a book on this subject- NAURAS-NAMA, and was the owner of Nujum al-Ulum manuscript and might have commissioned the Ragamala series in the 1590s.

Golconda School of Painting

Golconda became an independent state in 1512. By the end of the 16th century, it was the wealthiest of the Deccan kingdoms.
The earlier Golconda paintings, dated 1635–1650, at times as large as eight feet high, were made to be used as wall hangings.
The earliest five miniatures, identified as Golconda work, were bound up in Diwan of Hafiz, dated 1463.
All five painted pages are lavishly enriched with gold, touching deep azure sky. Dancing girls are seen entertaining the royal gathering.

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Subject Matter

Illustration of Raga-mala paintings are found in almost all the Deccan states. Painters are composed with natural background, realistic plant with symmetrical domes. The Deccan artists were influenced by the Mughal’s to draw the portrait paintings large in numbers. Hindu religious themes like Ramayana, Mahabharata and Krishna leela are drawn very less in Deccan miniature.

The Main Features Of Deccan Miniature Painting

The Deccan school had a different style with warmer colour, composed of decorative elements and have definite relationship with local tradition.
Deccan paintings are distinctly a south Indian ornamentation with influence of Persian, Mughal and Iranian style of miniature art.
Tall fair complex and emotionally charged male and sensuous looking female are popularly drawn in Deccan miniature painting.
Figures are rendered with lovely faces, large open eyes, bold features, broad forehead, high neck and slim waist.
Elementary colour costumes usually consisting of beautiful embroidery white coats and precious jewelleries.
The blue colours used in Deccan miniature painting are typically Persian in style.
The harmonious colour in Deccan miniature painting are not only referred various forms but also various modes.
Artist of Deccan miniature painting are initiated European naturalism and succeeded in producing of three-dimensional effects.
Geometry plays a significant role in symmetrical arrangement of Deccan miniature.
The hi-horizon filled with Deccan hills and little foliage along with small forts is an important feature of Deccan miniature painting.

Paintings

CHAND BIBI PLAYING POLO

Artist– Unknown
School– Deccan school
Sub school– Golconda
Medium – Watercolour on Paper
Technique– Tempera

Description-
In this painting Chand Bibi is playing polo with her three other companions against a green background. All the four figures are sitting on the horses, which are drawn in four different colours; brown, yellow, white and black. There is another figure at the centre on the ground is directing the game.

All the figures are centrally and symmetrically located. Horses are properly decorated; are shown in full of dynamic movement. Heads of all the female are cover with decorative headgear. They are wearing multi coloured ghagra and choli. On the foreground a lake with flowers and six white water birds are in symmetrical formation has been drawn. The flowers are red blue and white in colour. In the background the sky has been painted in dark blue with a yellow moon.

There is a fort on the hi-horizon with typical Deccan hills on the background rendered with trees has been painted in bright contrast colour.

Collection- National museum, New Delhi

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HAZRAT NIZAMUDDIN AULIYA AND AMIR KHUSRO

Artist– Unknown
School– Deccan school
Sub school– Hyderabad
Medium – Watercolour on Paper
Technique– Tempera

Description–
This painting is based on the discussion between Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya and his disciple Amir Khusro on a religious subject. Hazrat Nizamuddin was one of the famous saint of medieval India, teach people to love and practice to get closer to the God.

In this painting on the foreground Hazrat Nizamuddin and Amir Khusro are sitting on a rooftop and discussing about the religious subject. Roof is covered with orange carpet. Amir Khusro is playing a musical instrument Sarangi. He is wearing brown coloured Kurta decorated with embroideries and a turban is bended on his waist. His black beard is suggesting that he is young.

Similarly Hazrat Nizamuddin is shown in green dress having a large white beard. He has a halo behind his head showing his divinity. Hazrat Nizamuddin has a reddish book in his hand. Both have different types of turban on their heads. There is a lamp, which is placed in between both of them.

S. No	Topic	Link
1	The Rajasthani Schools of Painting	Click Here
2	The Pahari Schools of Painting	Click Here
3	The Mughal School of Miniature Painting	Click Here
4	The Deccan Schools of Painting	Click Here
5	The Bengal School of Painting	Click Here
6	The Modern Trends in Indian Art	Click Here

In front of them there is a garden which is growing up to the roof. A garden is also painted at the backside of the roof with full of red rose plant. Right back of Hazrat Nizamuddin a large size tree is painted with full of green leaves and yellow mangos on bunches. Single coloured fruits and flowers are seen contrast on the blue background.

Collection- National museum, New Delhi

12th Deccani Miniature Pain… by sandy Boi

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