Bijapur School of Painting
by Jyotsna Kamat
First Online: March 02, 2019
Page Last Updated: February 17, 2024
Bijapur School of Painting - (1490 - 1686 CE)
Under the Bahmanis (1347-1528 CE) of Gulburga and later Adilshahis of Bijapur (1490-1686) artists and craftsmen from Persia and Turkestan were provided liberal patronage. Hence the influence of Persian School is conspicuous in local paintings. Ismail Adilshah and Ibrahim Adilshah were themselves fond of painting and encouraged artists to decorate the Books they wrote or sponsored. Kitab-E-Navras a poetic work ascribed to Ibrahim Adilshah II contains Bijapur style of miniature paintings. The background on each page is a painting in gold of slender flowering trees, with over hanging boughs, Birds in flight are shown, in all pictures.
A portrait of Ibrahim Adilshah II in British Museum. He is dressed in long jama or tunic on Knee-length breeches. Another picture portrays him as playing a musical instrument while three courtiers are keeping time by clapping.
K.L. Kamat/Kamat's Potpourri
Adil Shah II playing tamboor
Many Bijapur paintings are in private collections. One shows again Ibrahim Adilshah playing ektara, indicating his fondness of music. Rich landscapes, mysterious atmosphere, jem- like coloring, lavish use of gold leaf are specialties of this school. Besides there is profusion of large plants, and flowering shrubs. Typical Dakhani castles are shown in the back ground.
There are fading murals of scenes of polo-players, a hunting scene, portraits of
some Europeans musicians, wrestling matches and the king himself.
The Persian influence persists in all the three Muslim Schools of Decan, Adilshahi, Nizamshi (Ahmadnagar) and Kuthbshahi (Golkond). But local Hindu influence is noticed more in Adilshahi works, especially elephants, certain deities, mendicants, plant-life etc.
K.L. Kamat/Kamat's Potpourri
A Bijapur Miniature Painting
See Also:
- Dakhani Miniatures
Amalgamation of Persian and Indian paintings.
