---
title: "Basawan: Mughal Painter Under Akbar | Model Diplomat"
description: "Basawan was Akbar's master painter (c.1560s–1600) who introduced European recession and modelling to Mughal art; key for UPSC GS1 art-and-culture revision."
url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/glossary/basawan"
---

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Model Diplomat Research Team · Last reviewed June 22, 2026

TL;DR

- Basawan was a Mughal court painter active under Emperor Akbar from the 1560s to about 1600, renowned for pioneering naturalism, modelling, and recession in Indian painting.
- What was Basawan's specific contribution to Mughal painting?
- How do we know which paintings Basawan made?
- What is the difference between Basawan and Daswanth?
- Which manuscripts contain Basawan's work?

[Civil Service & Diplomatic Exams](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/civil-services/glossary)Updated June 22, 2026

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In the 1590s Akbarnāma manuscript now held by the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, librarian notations credit Basawan with the tarh (design) of several battle folios, with colour supplied by a junior atelier painter.

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