Naqashi

Naqashi, from the Persian noun naqashī meaning painting, is the term used in Persianate cultures to refer to the practice and art of painting. In Persian, Urdu, and Hindi usage, naqashi designates both the activity of painting and the resulting works, including manuscript miniatures, wall paintings, and decorative embellishments on objects. The word is commonly applied to traditional miniature painting as well as to decorative programs in architecture and ceramics.

Historically, naqashi flourished within courts and workshops across the Persian-speaking world. In Iran and Central Asia, Persian miniature painting developed under the Ilkhanids, Timurs, and Safavids, producing renowned schools centered in Tabriz, Herat, and Isfahan. In the Indian subcontinent, naqashi gave rise to Mughal, Rajput, and Pahari miniature traditions, often blending Persian influences with indigenous themes, flora, fauna, and court life. Ottoman and other Turkic contexts pursued parallel traditions of illumination and miniature painting, sometimes grouped under tezhip or nakashi.

Techniques and materials traditionally used in naqashi include gouache or transparent watercolors on paper or parchment, mineral pigments, gold and silver leaf, and fine brushwork. Compositions employ intricate line work, detailed rendering of faces, textiles, and natural elements, with emphasis on composition, perspective, and ornate borders. In non-miniature contexts, naqashi also covers painted frescoes, tilework, and decorative schemes for palaces and mosques.

Today, naqashi remains an active field within traditional arts, with ateliers and scholars preserving historic styles while also exploring contemporary and fusion approaches. It faces preservation challenges related to materials, training, and market demand, but continues to be showcased in museums, books, and exhibitions of South Asian and Iranian art.