Correct Option
The correct option is Ahmadnagar.
Explanation
Deccani painting is a style of Indian miniature painting that evolved in the Deccan Sultanates of Peninsular India, primarily in the courts of Ahmadnagar, Bijapur, and Golconda. While influenced by Persian art and the Mughal school, it retained distinct characteristics such as intense colors and atmospheric effects.
Detailed Analysis
- Ahmadnagar (Correct): The earliest surviving examples of Deccani miniature painting are attributed to the court of Ahmadnagar. The illustrated manuscript Tarif-i-Hussain Shahi (c. 1565-1569 AD) is the primary evidence of this early style. It depicts the reign of Hussain Nizam Shah I and exhibits a fusion of the indigenous Lepakshi style with Persian idioms.
- Bijapur: While Bijapur was a major center for Deccani art, its earliest significant illustrated manuscript, the Nujum-ul-Ulum (Stars of the Sciences), is dated to 1570 AD, which is slightly later than the Ahmadnagar examples.
- Golconda: The Golconda school flourished later, particularly in the early 17th century, known for its rich use of gold and large-scale portraits.
- Mewar: Mewar is a prominent school of Rajasthani miniature painting, geographically and stylistically distinct from the Deccani schools.
Key Takeaway: The Tarif-i-Hussain Shahi from the Ahmadnagar court (c. 1565 AD) represents the earliest known surviving specimens of the Deccani school of miniature painting.