Marvel of Mughal Miniatures: The Brushes That Make Magic

In art, or any creative pursuit, the magic lies in the details, the finer work, that takes many hours, days, or months. For Mughal miniature, this magic is created by the unique brushes used by the painters for centuries. Traditionally made from animal hair, the brushes for miniature paintings are powerful tools, that blow life into the lines, curves, and colors of the canvases.

Though only a part of what it takes to make a marvellous Mughal painting, the brushes are a lesser-known, almost unsung hero of the art form. In this blog, we will take a look at how brushes are created and used in painting.

How do brushes play an important role in giving Miniatures a unique appearance?

The Mughal miniature is known for setting a vast and intricate story within a very small frame. This means that the subjects- human, natural, and architectural elements with all their details were drawn with precision.  Everything, from a line to shading of the subjects was to be done with a steady hand because the miniature would be effective only if all the visual components were sharp and clear.

To draw a perfect miniature, the artist had to pick the perfect brush. Different degrees of thickness in a brush would result in different levels of opaqueness of color and finesse of details. The traditional master artist would use a brush of a single squirrel hair, for drawing multiple fine lines and giving an outline to a canvas that contained a multitude of components.

Thus, it would not be wrong to say that the ideal brush held in a firm hand and focused eye is the recipe of a masterpiece Mughal miniature.

Varaha Avataar of Lord Vishnu - Miniature painting

Preparation of brushes by Miniature painting artists

The artists prepare the brushes themselves and prepare them with such dexterity that if the hands are balanced even a bit, the line would not break or shake. Any line drawn would be smooth and forceful and the onlooker would be compelled to praise it.

☀ In Sanskrit, the word Tulika is used for brushes. The artists in their ordinary language call it Kalam. It is worthwhile noting here that the different styles of paintings are also called Kalam, viz. - Bundi Kalam, Kangra Kalam, Shah Kalam, etc. Kalams of different thicknesses are chiefly prepared for different types of works and from different types of bristles. The thick or medium size Kalam is required to fill colors in the painting.

Two Groups of Ascetics Battling -  Miniature painting

☀ The brush is prepared from the hair present in the ears or tail or soft hair on any part of a young goat from the hairs of the ears of a cow or calf or from the hairs of the tail of a mongoose. For doing quality work, the brush is made from the hairs of a squirrel's tail. For this purpose, a squirrel is put into a cage. Then a big cloth is wrapped around the door of the cage.

☀ The cloth is left loose two feet from the cage. Now the gate is opened and the squirrel is made to leave the cage and enter the cloth. When this is accomplished, the gate is closed and the cloth wrapped in such a manner that it can run but cannot escape. Now its neck is caught carefully with the first two fingers and the body trunk with the thumb and the third finger.

☀ By catching the squirrel in this manner its mouth, tail, and legs do not get pressed and it can breathe freely. Now the tail hairs are wetted, and one hair plait after another is made and clipped off. After cutting off a requisite quantity of the hair, the squirrel is set free. The points' end of the cut plaits are either tied up then and there or kept wrapped up in a piece of paper. It is important that extreme care is taken so that the squirrel is never killed or harmed in any way.

Wrapping Up

When a master painter is working of a miniature artwork, the process is nothing less than a spiritual practice. The breath, body, eye, and brush work in unison, to ensure that the lines do not move even slightly away from where they are planned to be. The precision for which Mughal artworks are loved the world over comes from the brushes and the hands that handle them.

In modern times, due to restrictions on using animal hair and changes in the contemporary art world, the material used for brushes have changed. Many artists use synthetic hair in their brushes, while others navigate through the modern changes and traditional techniques to stay in touch with the roots.

If you are intrigued by the techniques and methods of Mughal miniature, visit Exotic India Art’s unique collection of Mughal artworks, collected from the workshops of traditionally trained miniature artists of India, who have maintained contact with the methods and vision of the medieval master artists.