A comprehensive collection of Mughal Natural History drawings, centred on the art of Ustad Mansur with current scientific information.
Includes rare Mansur paintings from Russia and Tehran.
Imaginary Birds, showcasing the artist's imagination beyond the representation of realism in nature.
The Mughals combined their love of nature with their love and patronage of art. By Akbar's reign the master artists of his atelier were producing hundreds of paintings of birds and animals with great accuracy and suavity for manuscripts of animal fables and adventures for the Emperor. Natural history drawing reached its highest point during the reign of Akbar's son Jahangir whose atelier most notably illustrated the Baburnama, Jahangir's great grandfather's treatises celebrated as the first systematic account of Indian flora and fauna. Among the various master artists of Akbar and Jahangir's ateliers, none are more important than Ustad Mansur who painted many images of rare and unusual birds, animals, and flowers for Jahangir. Mughal Natural History Drawings and Ustad Mansur presents these images with their correct scientific identification and other relevant details.
