Basawan

Basāwan, or Basāvan (flourished 1580–1600), was an Indian miniature painter in the Mughal style.

He was known by his contemporaries as a skilled colorist and keen observer of human nature, and for his use of portraiture in the illustrations of Akbarnama, Mughal Emperor, Akbar's official Biography, which is seen as an innovation in Indian art.

Among the works that can definitely be attributed to Basawan are illustrations for the Razmnama, the Akbar-nama, the Darab-nama, the Baharistan of Jami and the Timur-name.

[3] Basawan was one of the first Indian artists to be interested in western techniques, inspired by the European paintings brought to Akbar's court by Jesuit missionaries.

Basawan was also noted for his exploration of space, the delineation of his backgrounds, the strength of his colors, and the strong, moving characterizations of his subjects.