Who among the following Mughal Emperors shifted emphasis from illustrated manuscripts to album and individual portrait?
- (a) Humayun
- (b) Akbar
- (c) Jahangir ✓ UPSC's answer
- (d) Shah Jahan
Why the answer is (c)
• Under Akbar the imperial atelier produced large illustrated manuscripts (Hamzanama, Akbarnama, Razmnama).
• Jahangir, a connoisseur, shifted patronage to albums (muraqqas) of individual paintings and to naturalistic portraits and studies of birds, animals and flowers by masters like Mansur, Bishandas and Abul Hasan — option (c).
• Humayun (a) brought Persian masters to found the school; Shah Jahan (d) favoured formal court scenes and architecture.
• Hence option (c).
Why the other options are wrong
- (a) Humayun
- Humayun founded the school with Persian masters; no album shift.
- (b) Akbar
- Akbar's era was the age of illustrated manuscripts.
- (d) Shah Jahan
- Shah Jahan favoured formal court scenes.
Asked in the GS Paper I of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2019, held on 2 June 2019. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.