Lilian Hannah Johnson

I was surprised initially that the artist was of Japanese origin as the style reminded me of European Renaissance. The colours used are blended together in a way that makes the woman blend into the background, not unlike an icon painting in the Renaissance without…

The artist has managed to capture the form of man by breaking down the form and constructing it with shapes. The combination of modern abstract art and Indian traditional art techniques make this piece a truly unique one.

This painting highlights the prosperity of the Mughal Empire with the presence of the gold leaf surrounding the turkey. The importing of unusual animals also shows how Jahangir held great curiosity for these new and unfamiliar things.

This painting is a study of the complexity of light and shadow. Fire is the main figure in this composition and everything else pales in its might by comparison. The buildings are mere shades of their true forms and are covered in shadows.

The artist has made sure to depict the elephants with precision, their presence indicating war. The magnanimous nature of Akbar's kingdom is the prime aspect of the painting.

Akbar's commissioned paintings always include the iconic vibrant colour palette that is found even in later Indian art. The paintings are also structured in a very interesting way creating multiple shapes within its composition with the most noble figure at the centre.

This painting mimics the form of ancient Greek vases or tapestries that usually laid out an entire myth or the creation of natural phenomena or mythical creatures such as these. Every figure is in a state of motion and their movement is fluid, mimicking the…

This painting by Michelangelo is a prime example of the Renaissance style of painting. Both Joseph and Mary's gaze being upon the holy child makes Jesus the centre of the painting as the viewer follows their eyes. The colour palette is unified and vibrant to…

This painting is the depiction of the poet's inner self. He masterfully uses shadow and light as tools to show the darkness he feels inside of him. The man in the painting looks deep in thought, and his expression is exaggerated to show his introspection.

The painting shows a side of the monarchy that is often swept under the rug. The painting represents the minorities and those who suffer under the rule of the monarchy with or without the knowledge of the king.

The painting is very deliberate in its stillness. The cows add to this by being the reminders of an agrarian and slow-moving past within the developing city of Bombay. There is also a surreal quality brought about by the soft fading colours of the grass…

Rabindranath Tagore has managed to capture the form of a bird using ink and only with the lines of the negative spaces left in between. It is a masterful work of surrealism and a study of form and what shape makes the bird a recognizable…

This painting is very reminiscent of the Mughal style of paintings and it shows how the European Christian iconography was influential in their time. Jesus is depicted as an older man with greying hair and the people looking on are dressed in European fashion. This…

The woman waiting for her lover, who is usually the nayika or heroine, is a trope frequently found across historical Indian poetry. This painting illustrates that trope beautifully, reflecting the anxiety and solitude she remains in, until her lover reunites with her.

The softness of the chalk combined with the gouache creates a very ethereal form for the humanization of Fame. It also conveys how fame is often a fickle, quick-changing, and flowing figure in one's hands, slipping through our grasp very easily.

The illustrations of war in the Akbarnama manuscript are always vivid and drawn with a breathtaking amount of scale to show the intensity of the war. The images are always scattered and chaotic showing the true confusing nature of war. The contrast in the ways…

The first thing that stood out to me were the lambs on either side of Christ that at first resembled fingers. In their placement, it could be that they represent the hands of God holding His sacrificial son within his palms. The use of lambs…

This painting is striking in its use of light and shadow. The sensuality of Christ's body is typical of the Italian Renaissance as the human ideas of pleasure were mixed among the euphoria of being a part of the divine. The body of Christ is…

The contrast of light and shadow, typical of the Baroque period is the highlight in this painting. The browns and grays of the colour palette force the viewer's eye to land on the face of the officer who is watching on, serenely. One of the…

The existence of this painting is evidence of the secularism present within the Mughal courts. The narrative of the Mahabharata was translated into Persian and named Razmnama so that the Persian speaking Muslims of the court could understand the important texts of Hinduism and this…

The beauty of the painted document lies in the amount of history it holds. It is also an important depiction of the way the decrees of the Mughals were recorded. In this particular case their secularism is made known by the way Emperor Jahangir had…

The artist shows the Spadini children studying in a way that can only be described as tender. The innocence of the children contracted by their somber focus on their studies makes for a very interesting composition. The brushstrokes are soft and blurred such that they…

The painting highlights the pivotal scene in the story where the moral is provided to the reader. The painter Daulat manages to capture individual expressions with vivid colours and a realistic style. The painting also shows the diversity of the court by having the African…

As in the description says, the painting gives a warm dream-like feeling that is further enriched by the use of stark contrast of light and shadow. The essence of the Baroque painting is captured here in a classic manner and can be seen in the…