Police
Ustad Mansur, who received the title 'Nadir-ul-Asr' and was famous for his paintings of birds, animals and flowers, worked at the court of:
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)View answer ▾Hide ▴
Answer: Option B — Jahangir
Detailed Solution
Ustad Mansur, the leading painter of birds, animals and flowers in the Mughal period, worked at the court of Jahangir, who gave him the title "Nadir-ul-Asr" ("Wonder of the Age").
About Ustad Mansur:
- He began his career in the imperial workshop during Akbar's reign, where he worked on illustrated manuscripts.
- He reached the height of his fame under Jahangir.
- He specialised in natural history painting: realistic and detailed studies of birds, animals and plants.
- He accompanied Jahangir on his travels, including to Kashmir, and painted the flowers and wildlife he saw there.
Famous works:
- A painting of a Siberian crane.
- A painting of a zebra, which had been sent to Jahangir as a gift from Ethiopia (via the Ottomans); the inscription notes that it was painted by Mansur.
- Paintings of a turkey cock, a falcon, a cheetah, and many Himalayan birds.
- A painting of a dodo is also attributed to him, which is one of the most accurate surviving images of this extinct bird.
- Studies of flowers, such as tulips and irises from Kashmir.
Jahangir's interest in nature:
- Jahangir was deeply interested in natural history, and recorded detailed observations of birds, animals and plants in his memoirs.
- He had his painters record rare animals and birds brought to his court.
Painting at Jahangir's court:
- Mughal painting reached its peak under Jahangir.
- He preferred single paintings and portraits rather than illustrations of long manuscripts.
- Other leading painters included Abul Hasan, Bishandas (portraits) and Manohar.
Mughal painting under other rulers:
- Under Shah Jahan, painting became more formal and decorative.
- Aurangzeb withdrew much of the royal patronage of painting, and many artists moved to the courts of Rajput and other regional rulers.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Babur and Humayun ruled before the Mughal school matured.
- ✗Aurangzeb did not patronise painting much.
Quick tip
Remember: Ustad Mansur = "Nadir-ul-Asr" (Wonder of the Age); birds, animals and flowers (zebra, Siberian crane, dodo); court of Jahangir; Mughal painting peaked under Jahangir.
💬 Discussions on this question
Ask a doubt ›Still stuck on this question? Ask our faculty and fellow students — answers appear here.
Ask a doubtMore Paintings, Crafts, Dress & Tribes Questions
View all ›- Q1.Jamini Roy, Amrita Sher-Gil and Nandalal Bose are famous Indian:
- Q2.The 'Mysore Peta', an important part of traditional attire in Karnataka, is worn on the:
- Q3.Pattachitra painting is a traditional art form of which state?
- Q4.Warli painting is a tribal folk art of which state?
- Q5.Phad paintings, a form of scroll painting depicting folk deities such as Pabuji and Devnarayan, are famous in:
More General Knowledge Questions
- Q1.The techniques of Rasa and Bhava used in Indian classical dance trace their origin to which ancient text?Indian Dance Forms
- Q2.Lavani, Powada, Koli, Waghya Murali and Dhangari Gaja are folk dances of which state?Indian Dance Forms
- Q3.The one-act play associated with the Sattriya tradition of Assam is called:Indian Dance Forms
- Q4.Which dance form of Goa is known as the 'Warrior Dance'?Indian Dance Forms
- Q5.Manipuri dance is based on the Rasleela themes of:Indian Dance Forms
Paintings, Crafts, Dress & Tribes — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Paintings, Crafts, Dress & Tribes, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers India's traditional painting styles (such as Madhubani, Warli, Pattachitra, Kalamkari, Gond and Tanjore), handicrafts and textiles, traditional dresses, and the major tribes of each state and their customs. It also includes Geographical Indication (GI) tags given to crafts and products. Questions usually ask which state a painting or craft belongs to, which tribe lives in a region, or what a traditional dress is called. Warli belongs to Maharashtra, Madhubani to Bihar, Pattachitra to Odisha and West Bengal, and Gond art to Madhya Pradesh. Grouping tribes by state, and noting the largest tribe of key states (such as the Bhils and the Santhals), helps with elimination. Practise the paintings, crafts and tribes questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.