66th B.P.S.C (Pre) 2020

Mughal Imperial Atelier

Authentic Past Paper Standard Evaluation

Which Mughal ruler established Karkhanas for painting?

Solution & Analysis

Answer: B

Concept The Mughal school of painting was institutionalized through 'Karkhanas' (workshops), where hundreds of artists worked collectively under imperial patronage to illustrate manuscripts.

Explanation Emperor Akbar is credited with the formal establishment of the royal atelier, known as the 'Tasvir Khana'. He brought together artists from across India and Persia (like Abdus Samad and Mir Sayyid Ali) to develop a unified Mughal style characterized by realism and vibrant colors.

Logical Breakup
Logic 1: While Humayun brought the first Persian masters, it was Akbar who scaled the production into a massive state-sponsored Karkhana system.
Logic 2: These workshops were responsible for monumental projects like the Hamzanama (1,400 illustrations) and the Razmnama.

Active Recall

Question

What was the royal painting workshop called in Akbar's court?

Answer

Tasvir Khana.

Core Insight

Akbar's Karkhanas represented a collaborative industrial approach to art, merging various cultural aesthetics into a single imperial brand.