Animals have always been important to Indian art & mythology. The Mughals in their fascinating paintings, used the animal imagery to lend a special quality to their art of painting. Historic  details show that the depiction of various kinds of birds and animals played a significant role in conformity with the context or the demands of the narratives. The artists painted both wild and domestic animals with equal competence. 

Animals always had a significant and a hidden meaning in the earlier paintings.  When the first Zebra was gifted to Emperor Jehangir, the people believed that the stripes had been painted on the animal.

The miniature paintings in this category are a collection of some of the traditional and contemporary representations of animals.