Question

Choose the Persian Artists of the Mughal court.
(A) Mir Sayyid Ali
(B) Bihzad
(C) Sahibdin
(D) Abd Us Samad
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

• A. (C) and (D) only
• B. (A), (B) and (C) only
• C. (A), (B) and (D) only
• D. (A) and (D) only

Hint:

Remember the two key names associated with the founding of the Mughal school: Mir Sayyid Ali and Abd Us Samad. They were brought from Persia by Humayun. Distinguish them from their own teacher, Bihzad (who stayed in Persia), and from later Indian artists of the Mughal or other schools.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The Mughal School of painting was founded by masters who were brought from Persia. The question asks to identify these founding Persian artists from the given list.

Step 3: Detailed Explanation:
(A) Mir Sayyid Ali: He was a master of the Safavid school of painting in Persia. He was invited by the Mughal emperor Humayun to join his court and was one of the founders of the Mughal atelier.
(B) Bihzad: Kamal-ud-din Bihzad was a legendary master of Persian painting from the late Timurid and early Safavid periods. While his style was immensely influential on Mughal art, he himself never worked at the Mughal court.
(C) Sahibdin: He was a master Indian artist of the Rajasthani School, specifically the Mewar school, during the 17th century. He was not a Persian artist at the Mughal court.
(D) Abd Us Samad: He was the other great Persian master, alongside Mir Sayyid Ali, who was brought to India by Humayun. He played a crucial role in establishing the imperial Mughal workshop.

Step 4: Final Answer:
The Persian artists who were instrumental in founding the Mughal court atelier were Mir Sayyid Ali and Abd Us Samad. Therefore, the correct option is (A) and (D) only.