U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 1998

Naturalism in Mughal Art

Authentic Past Paper Standard Evaluation

The greatest painter of birds at Jahangir's Court was:

Solution & Analysis

Answer: D

Concept Jahangir's fascination with the natural world led to a specialized branch of Mughal painting focused on ornithological and botanical precision.

Explanation Ustad Mansur (or Mansoor) was a master of natural history. Jahangir honored him with high titles for his incredibly life-like depictions of flora and fauna. He is famous for paintings of rare species like the Dodo and the Siberian Crane.

Logical Breakup
Logic 1: While Abdus Samad and Basawan were great foundation artists, they focused more on manuscripts and figures.
Logic 2: Mansur was the dedicated 'scientist-artist' of the court, exclusively praised by Jahangir for his avian studies.

Active Recall

Question

What title did Jahangir give to Mansur?

Answer

Nadir-ul-Asra (Unrivaled of the Era).

Core Insight

Mansur's work moved Mughal art from traditional Persian stylization to a documentary realism that was centuries ahead of its time.