RAS question
The famous Mughal painter known as 'Nadir-ul-Asr' (Wonder of the Age) who specialized in animal and plant paintings was:
Correct answer: (D) Ustad Mansur.
Ustad Mansur was the Mughal painter whom Jahangir honoured as Nadir-ul-Asr, and he was especially known for naturalistic paintings of animals, birds, flowers and plants.
Explanation
Ustad Mansur fits both clues in the question. Dream 2047, Vigyan Prasar places Mansur in Jahangir's court and says he was expert in depicting plants and animals. It also records that Jahangir gave him the title Nadir-ul-asra, meaning the best personality of the era. Jahangir honoured him as Nadir-ul-Asr, and Mansur was renowned for naturalistic work on animals such as the dodo, turkey and zebra, as well as flowers. His work is treated as more than court art because he carried out scientific documentation of plant and animal life, and Jahangir used him during natural-history expeditions, including in Kashmir.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Abul Hasan is not identified as Jahangir's Nadir-ul-asra or as the specialist entrusted with documenting plants and animals.
- (B) Daswanth does not match Mansur's identification as the Jahangir-court painter associated with the Nadir-ul-asra title and natural-history painting.
- (C) Bishan Das is wrong because the title and the plant-and-animal specialisation in the question are specifically attached to Ustad Mansur.
Concept
This tests Mughal painting under Jahangir, especially the link between imperial patronage and natural-history art. RAS repeats this because medieval Indian art questions often hinge on matching artists, rulers, titles and specialisations.