Rethinking Artistic Boundaries Between the Mughal Atelier and Regional Painting Traditions

This paper investigates the dynamic cultural circulation between the Mughal imperial atelier and regional Indian miniature painting traditions. Challenging rigid stylistic and geographical classifications, it foregrounds the mobility of artists, the circulation of visual idioms, and the reciprocal exchange of techniques across imperial and regional courts. Drawing extensively on the artist-centric scholarship of Dr. B. N. Goswamy, the study reinterprets Mughal and non-Mughal interactions as interconnected and fluid processes shaped by movement, adaptation, and innovation rather than unilateral influence. Through case studies drawn from Mughal, Rajput, Pahari, and Deccani contexts, the paper proposes methodological approaches that privilege networks of artistic exchange over static stylistic boundaries. In doing so, it offers new insights into early modern Indian artistic production and contributes to a more integrated understanding of Indian miniature painting traditions.