Hindola Ragini, from Kurnool, second half of the 18th century (Private Collection)

Although the empire had begun to wane in the time of Aurangzeb, it was to linger on for another century, and the decline in political fortunes was not matched by a decline in the arts. The pictorial tradition flourished, especially in Rajput courts. The painting of the Hindola Ragini is another illustration of the pervading influence of Mughal artists in this period, although the subject is a traditional Indian theme. The figures are treated realistically, with hierarchical differences in scale minimized, and the background is given careful attention, with the Mughal architecture rendered in perspective