The Mughal emperor Muhammad Jalaluddin Akbar is credited with introducing Christianity to northern India by inviting Jesuit missionaries to visit his court.
Missionaries brought with them scriptures and works of European art on Christian themes that influenced court painters. Akbar and his successors also commissioned many frescoes with Christian themes, and some court artists began to infuse these paintings with elements of Islamic art.
Neha Vermani, a South Asian historian, talks about a painting done by Mughal court painters of Emperor Jahangir in a nativity scene that traditionally depicts Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus.
“The Mughal rulers saw themselves as ‘simple’ rulers, able to maintain harmony and balance in their kingdoms; they were “universal rulers.” Allowing different religions to co-exist was an integral part of how they saw themselves and wanted to be remembered,’ says Ms Vermani.
The 18th-century painting below shows typical stylistic elements of Mughal art, including highly stylized figures, vivid colors, naturalism, and ornamentation.
