CAPF AC 2022 Q69: Art & Culture – Painting & Visual Arts
- (a) 1 only
- (b) 2 only
- (c) Both 1 and 2
- (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: (c) Both 1 and 2
Explanation
Persian influences on Indian painting
How to think: two Persian styles reached India by different roads.
The Shirazi style came to the Sultanate courts, such as Mandu in Malwa.
The style of Bihzad of Herat came with the Mughals.
| Statement | Verdict | Fact |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Early Malwa painting was influenced by the Shirazi school; early Mughal painting followed the Bihzad school | Correct | The Nimatnama of Mandu shows the Shirazi style; Bihzad was the great master of Herat and Tabriz |
| 2. The major exponents of the Bihzad school in India were Mir Sayyid Ali and Abdus Samad | Correct | Humayun brought both masters from Persia |
What they did in India: they headed Akbar's painting workshop.
Under them the huge Hamzanama was illustrated.
Answer: (c) Both 1 and 2.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Statement 2 is also true; Mir Sayyid Ali and Abdus Samad carried the Bihzad tradition.
- (b) Incorrect. Statement 1 is also true about the Shirazi and Bihzad influences.
- (c) CORRECT. Both statements are true.
- (d) Incorrect. Neither statement is false.
Key point
Bihzad: Persian master (Herat). Humayun brought Mir Sayyid Ali and Abdus Samad to India; they led Akbar's atelier and the Hamzanama. Sultanate painting: Nimatnama (Mandu) in Shirazi style. Jahangir's reign was the peak of Mughal painting.
Remember
Bihzad school → Mir Sayyid Ali and Abdus Samad → Mughal painting.
Common mistakes
- Thinking Mughal painting began under Akbar with no Persian masters before him.
- Mixing up Abdus Samad with later painters such as Abul Hasan and Mansur.
- Not knowing that the Malwa court at Mandu had its own painting tradition.
Exam tip
Educated guess: the two statements depend on each other: statement 2 simply names the people who brought the school mentioned in statement 1. Such linked statements are usually both true.
Sources
- NCERT Class XII Fine Arts — An Introduction to Indian Art Part II (The Mughal School of Miniature Painting)
- NCERT Class XII History — Themes in Indian History Part II, Chapter 9: Kings and Chronicles (the painted image)