Indian Mughal painting developed in the court of the Mughal Empire of the 16th to 19th centuries, heavily influenced by Persian traditions. The Mughals who ruled from 1526 to 1858 were culturally active, particularly during the reigns of the emperors Akbar (1556–1605), Jahangir (1605–1627) and Shah Jahan (1628–1658). Essentially a court art, Mughal painting was distinguished by the richness of materials, delicate craftsmanship and countless stylistic innovations. The art was a reflection of court life, and the emperors themselves engaged enthusiastically in music, literature, dance, art and architecture.
In the 16th century the European engravings brought to India by the Jesuits brought the Mughals into contact with European Renaissance art. In this way Mughal painting absorbed stylistic elements of naturalism, sfumato, chiaroscuro and perspective. In the 17th century the establishment of the Dutch East India Company accelerated the two-way exchange of art between India and Europe. Dutch merchants introduced Dutch and Flemish prints to artists in imperial workshops, and Mughal painting in its turn also influenced European art. Rembrandt (1606–1969) supposedly had a collection of more than two dozen Mughal paintings, from which he made pen and ink studies. He also created his own series of meticulous drawings depicting emperors and courtiers from Mughal India.
