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

Paintings

Under the emperor Akbar, Mughal artists developed a highly expressive style of manuscript painting, which combined Persian refinement and technique with Indian vitality and feeling for nature.

European influences, deriving from the study of imported prints, also began to appear. Portraiture of the rulers and their courtiers became an increasingly important art, especially under Jahangir (1605-1627) and Shah Jahan (1627-1658).

Many local schools of painting also flourished at the courts of the Rajput Maharajas or the Deccani sultans. The Rajput royal patrons had traditionally favoured vivid and robust styles of manuscript illustration.

But by 1700, Mughal-inspired portraiture, adapted to the bolder Rajput taste, had become well established. Scenes of court life or hunting became popular themes, sometimes treated in large-scale compositions that are full of lively detail.

The Pandava brothers do battle with the King of Anga (EA1978.2594) The Pandava brothers do battle with the King of Anga (EA1978.2594)   Yogini in the forest (EA2005.88) Yogini in the forest (EA2005.88)   Portrait of a lady (EA1999.101) Portrait of a lady (EA1999.101)   The Sufi saints Mian Mir and Mulla Shah (EA1990.1287) The Sufi saints Mian Mir and Mulla Shah (EA1990.1287)   A lady playing a vina (EA1990.1289) A lady playing a vina (EA1990.1289)
A lady at a linga shrine, illustrating the musical mode Bhairavi Ragini (EA1999.22) A lady at a linga shrine, illustrating the musical mode Bhairavi Ragini (EA1999.22)   A lady plucking leaves, illustrating the musical mode Gunakali Ragini (EA2001.33) A lady plucking leaves, illustrating the musical mode Gunakali Ragini (EA2001.33)   Maharao Ratan Singh with courtiers (EA1986.58) Maharao Ratan Singh with courtiers (EA1986.58)   Prince Amar Singh with his infant son (EA2004.13) Prince Amar Singh with his infant son (EA2004.13)   Maharana Amar Singh of Mewar at the Eklingji temple (EA1989.40) Maharana Amar Singh of Mewar at the Eklingji temple (EA1989.40)
Maharana Sangram Singh II visiting a yogi (EA1990.1281) Maharana Sangram Singh II visiting a yogi (EA1990.1281)   Maharaja Sirdar Singh of Kishangarh (EA1999.6) Maharaja Sirdar Singh of Kishangarh (EA1999.6)   Nawab Shuja' ud-Daula of Awadh (EA1993.11) Nawab Shuja' ud-Daula of Awadh (EA1993.11)   Vishnu as the fish avatar, Matsya (EA2007.254) Vishnu as the fish avatar, Matsya (EA2007.254)   Red-vented Bulbul (EA2003.42) Red-vented Bulbul (EA2003.42)
A Raja listening to music on a terrace (EA2001.14) A Raja listening to music on a terrace (EA2001.14)   British officer and his wife (EA1996.115) British officer and his wife (EA1996.115)   Maharana Bhim Singh with a hawk (EA1985.31) Maharana Bhim Singh with a hawk (EA1985.31)   Rajput noblemen in an interior (EA1995.34) Rajput noblemen in an interior (EA1995.34)
Notice

Objects may have since been removed or replaced from a gallery. Click into an individual object record to confirm whether or not an object is currently on display. Our object location data is usually updated on a monthly basis, so contact the Jameel Study Centre if you are planning to visit the museum to see a particular Eastern Art object.

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