Mughal India: Art, Culture and Empire - Hardcover

J. P. Losty; Malini Roy

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0712358706 ISBN 13: 9780712358705

Publisher: The British Library Publishing Division, 2012

Synopsis

One of the most powerful and exotic of all the world's great dynasties, the Mughals ruled India from 1526 to 1858. During this time they produced an astonishing number of rulers of outstanding ability, who operated in a hugely diverse and complex religious, linguistic and social environment. The Mughals were great patrons of the arts, using them to underpin their political position and leaving behind a particularly rich legacy of visual art. This book showcases the British Library's extensive collection of illustrated manuscripts and paintings that were commissioned by Mughal emperors and other officials and depict the splendour and vibrant colour of Mughal life. The exquisitely decorated works span four centuries, from the foundation of the Mughal dynasty by Babur in the sixteenth century, through the heights of the empire and the 'Great' Mughal emperors of the seventeenth century, into the decline and eventual collapse in the nineteenth century. The lavish artworks cover a variety of subject matter, from scenes of courtly life including lively hunting parties and formal portraits of emperors to illustrations of works of literature which manage to convey complex storylines in a single image, and dramatic panoramas of Indian landscapes. The development of a Mughal style of art can be traced through the illustrations and paintings, as can the influence of European styles, originally as imported exotica. Many of these works have never before been published, and combined here with the engaging narrative of two subject experts who place each image within its historical and art historical context they serve to provide us with a beautiful and illuminating view of the art and culture of Mughal India.

About this title

About the Author:

J P Losty was Head of Visual Arts at the British Library for 34 years until his retirement in 2005. He has published extensively on illustrated Indian manuscripts and painting in India from the 11th to the 19th centuries. Malini Roy is Curator of Visual Arts at the British Library. She received her PhD in art history from the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London in 2009.

About this edition

• Publisher: The British Library Publishing Division
• Publication date: 2012
• ISBN 10: 0712358706
• ISBN 13: 9780712358705
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 256