The word miniature ,derived from the Latin minimum ,red lead is a picture in an ancient or medieval illuminated manuscript:
The simple decoration of the early codices having been miniated or delineated with that pigment.
Mughal painting, generally confined to miniatures either as book illustrations or as single works to be kept albums emerged from the Persian miniature painting tradition,with Indian influences and developed during the period of the Mughal empire (16th -19th centuries ).
Mughal miniatures are very detailed and very fine in quality.
Padshanama is an important book of the mughal miniature painting. There were a number of miniature schools in the country, including those of Mughals , Rajputs and the Deccan.