Eastern Art Online, Yousef Jameel Centre for Islamic and Asian Art

Ashmolean − Eastern Art Online, Yousef Jameel Centre for Islamic and Asian Art

Room 33 | Mughal India 1500-1900 gallery

Discover the paintings and decorative arts of the Mughal period - the most powerful and lasting of the Islamic dynasties in India.

Mughal India gallery

The Company period

After 1600, European trade with India expanded greatly. The Portuguese were followed by the competing Dutch, English, and French East India Companies. By the 1760s, the British Company was becoming the dominant political power in India, leading to British rule from 1858 to 1947. At that time, India was considered the ‘Jewel in the Crown' of Britain's worldwide empire.

The arts of the colonial or Company period show the increasing awareness in India of European styles and design motifs, especially in luxury export items such as textiles or ivory work. Until the mid-nineteenth century, these foreign elements were skilfully adapted by Indian craftsmen and assimilated into their own traditional decorative repertoire.

Ivory plaque with conch-blower (EA1990.1291) Ivory plaque with conch-blower (EA1990.1291)   Ivory plaque depicting three Sikh warriors (EA2013.86) Ivory plaque depicting three Sikh warriors (EA2013.86)   Ivory king chess-piece (EA1994.91) Ivory king chess-piece (EA1994.91)   Ivory pawn chess-piece (EA1977.11) Ivory pawn chess-piece (EA1977.11)   Head of the Virgin Mary (EA1963.181) Head of the Virgin Mary (EA1963.181)
Bronze model depicting the cavalcade of the King of Awadh (EA1977.25) Bronze model depicting the cavalcade of the King of Awadh (EA1977.25)   Ivory cabinet with floral decoration (EA1981.47) Ivory cabinet with floral decoration (EA1981.47)   Shawl border fragment with floral design (EA1996.93) Shawl border fragment with floral design (EA1996.93)
Toy soldier with elephant and driver (EA1969.44.a) Toy soldier with elephant and driver (EA1969.44.a)   Toy soldier with camel and matchlock (EA1969.44.b) Toy soldier with camel and matchlock (EA1969.44.b)   Toy soldier with horse and lance (EA1969.44.c) Toy soldier with horse and lance (EA1969.44.c)
Toy soldier with horse and musket (EA1969.44.d) Toy soldier with horse and musket (EA1969.44.d)   Toy soldier with horse and rocket-launchers (EA1969.44.e) Toy soldier with horse and rocket-launchers (EA1969.44.e)   Toy soldier with horse and sabre (EA1969.44.f) Toy soldier with horse and sabre (EA1969.44.f)
Mughal India gallery The Company period case. © Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford Mughal India gallery The Company period case.
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