The Painted Image

On 31 January, 2014, the students of class 12 ( Humanities) under the guidance of their history teacher, Ms. Charu Bhatnagar, mounted an Exhibition titled- The Mughal Era on Canvas.

The objective of the exhibition was to tell the history of the Mughal times in India through the miniature paintings of the period. Infact the students introduced viewers to the origins of the Mughal School of Miniature Art. The exhibition divided into four sections- Mughal Administration; the Social and Cultural Relations of the Mughal Empire; the Overseas Relations of the Mughals and the Wars and Conflicts of the Mughal Era.

Mughal painting was confined mainly to book illustrations and miniatures produced in the 16-18th centuries. These paintings are quite like binoculars through which we can view medieval history. The introduction of new techniques in architecture also makes a noteworthy page in the history of India; but the painting takes precedence. As it was rooted in a diverse mix of cultural, religious and artistic traditions, the art of miniature paintings in India became a very rich school.

Each section of the displays was explained in detail by the students. The exhibits included some miniature works from personal collections so that viewers could see some authentic samples from the period. There was also a computer-simulation of a market scene from the mughal times as also a video presentation specially created on the subject.

The students had given the room an ambience of a Mughal haveli with artefacts, canopies and music to match!

Ishan Mehandru Sanchari Banerjee Isha Vajpeyi Tanishq Mehta Sanjula Sethi 12-C (Humanities)