How a Mughal painting was made

Most Mughal miniatures belonged to manuscripts and albums, where text and picture shared the page.

First, handmade paper was cut to size; space was left for the picture; the page was ruled and the text written. Only then was it given to the artist.

The artist worked in stages: the composition (tarh), then the portraits (chiharanama), then the colouring (rangamizi). Tasks were often shared among several artists, who were paid incentives for the work done.

The opaque colours were ground from natural sources:

• vermilion (red) from cinnabar;
• ultramarine (blue) from lapis lazuli;
• yellow from orpiment;
• white from shells;
• lampblack from charcoal;
• with gold and silver added. Brushes were made of squirrel or kitten hair.

Finally the painting was burnished with an agate stone, to set the colours and give them radiance.