This book presents the Persian Baburnama, a key primary source and the earliest record of Babur’s memoirs. The authoritative translation uses paintings from the original work and draws on contemporary texts of the period to delve into the history of the legendary Mughal ruler. It provides a fresh treatment to the source material and highlights vivid accounts of the historical events of the time. The paintings are divided thematically, offering a unique and rare perspective into the Mughal world. Accompanied by a detailed Introduction, the volume also touches upon narrative art and analyses the influence of European Renaissance art on Mughal painting. With over 150 Mughal paintings and illustrations in colour, this volume will be an important sourcebook for scholars and researchers of Medieval Indian, especially Mughal, history, and art historians, as well as connoisseurs of art and the general reader.
This volume depicts the life and times of the Mughal emperor Jahangir in the light of his memoirs, Jahangirnama, popularly known as Tuzuk-i Jahangiri. With its fresh treatment of source material and a vivid account of historical events, the book tells the history of Jahangir’s India through his intimate and confessional memoirs incorporated in the genre of Mughal manuscript painting. The work is noteworthy for its historical portraits as well as Jahangir’s visual realism, his remarkable knowledge of natural history, and the perceptive and detailed descriptions of the world around him. Moving away from conventional historical writing, the book is a psychological study of an individual, his innate qualities, behavioural moves and instinctive affinities. Jahangir’s memoirs reveal deeper facets of him as a person as well as a poet, aesthete, connoisseur of painting and a keen observer of nature, both human and that of the natural world. The author also includes other contemporary literature of the period that narrate Jahangir’s life, such as Akbarnama, Ma’asir-i Jahangiri, Iqbalnama-i Jahangiri, Intikhab-i Jahangiri, Tatimma-i Waqi’at-i Jahangiri and Zakhirat-ul Khwanin, as well as Jesuits accounts and travelogues. He further analyses the influence of European Renaissance art on the history of Mughal paintings. A first of its kind, this book will greatly interest scholars and researchers of medieval history, Indian history, Mughal history, art history, popular culture and South Asian studies, as well as the general reader.
Built in Agra by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, the Taj Mahal is a well-known world heritage site. This volume examines the architecture of this white marble mausoleum and its unique features-historical background and evolution; concept and form; gardens; inlay and relief work; calligraphy; and other monuments around the Taj.
This volume follows Mughal Painters and their Work-A Biographical Survey and Comprehensive Catalogue (Oxford University Press, New Delhi, 1994), the first comprehensive book of reference on the work of nearly 200 Mughal painters; and has been conceived to provide readers much information on the Mughal painting through the contribution of individual master painters. Need not say ample information is available about the artists of the Mughal atelier (sixteenth-seventeenth centuries). Yet, to date, except for some articles on a few painters, no book has been published on individual artist. Ustad Mansur, a keen observer of nature endowed with almost Euclidean intellect, deserved a more detailed study to re-evaluate his merit as an artist whose achievement in naturalistic portraiture of a large number of species from the world of flora and fauna has remained unsurpassed till today. Our attempt is to enter into the very creative process of this great Mughal painter; to relive in his times and environment, in order to discover real Mansur. The whole panorama of Mansur’s portraits of birds, animals and flowers set in marvellously and uniquely laid background represents, in his true spirit and characteristics, the very quintessence of nature’s endless variety of creation and beauty. Part I provides historical and artistic context in which Ustad Mansur worked. Information about him has been gleaned from original texts (principally Persian historical sources), supplemented by the evidence of artist’s own work. Part II comprises the plate section of representative eighteen miniatures that illustrate our painter’s style and his specialisation in painting. The appendix further enhances the value of this work since it provides correct rendering of contemporary inscriptions and determines genuine signatures and contemporary ascriptions. The volume is richly illustrated with a large number of black-and-white and colour illustrations. These illustrate the art and style of Ustad Mansur Nadir u’l ‘Asr (Unequalled of the Age), the most illustrious naturalist painter of India. It will naturally be of interest to students of art and natural history. It is also recommended to persons curious to know about the Mughal times. It is hoped that other volumes on individual Mughal painters will follow’ and monographs on their lives and work with a criticale valuation will be available.
Present collection of essays researched and analyzed by S.P. Verma, since 1973, provides the readers an introduction to the Mughal painting. The sixteen studies in this volume offer afresh interpretation of the Mughal miniatures. These relate to the aesthetic values, art-forms, signs and symbols, and the social and cultural history. Most importantly, Akbar`s attempt to liberale painting from the straitjacket of sectarian ideology is the theme of Chapter 1.2. The `artists signatures` (Chapter 1.4) and `self-portraits` (Chapter 3.4) are the new features introduced with the rise of Mughal school. The volume draws on diverse textual sources to delve into the social history of dominant themes, motifs and styles. Verma presents a vivid account of the sixteenth century narrative art (Chapter 2.1), and major illustrated manuscripts (Chapters 2.2-3.4, and 7). Chapter 1.1 provides insights into the life and times of patrons and artists. Verma also touches parallel art tradilions. His approach to the subject features the Mughal painting as an historical source.
This book presents the Persian Baburnama, a key primary source and the earliest record of Babur’s memoirs. The authoritative translation uses paintings from the original work and draws on contemporary texts of the period to delve into the history of the legendary Mughal ruler. It provides a fresh treatment to the source material and highlights vivid accounts of the historical events of the time. The paintings are divided thematically, offering a unique and rare perspective into the Mughal world. Accompanied by a detailed Introduction, the volume also touches upon narrative art and analyses the influence of European Renaissance art on Mughal painting. With over 150 Mughal paintings and illustrations in colour, this volume will be an important sourcebook for scholars and researchers of Medieval Indian, especially Mughal, history, and art historians, as well as connoisseurs of art and the general reader.
This volume depicts the life and times of the Mughal emperor Jahangir in the light of his memoirs, Jahangirnama, popularly known as Tuzuk-i Jahangiri. With its fresh treatment of source material and a vivid account of historical events, the book tells the history of Jahangir’s India through his intimate and confessional memoirs incorporated in the genre of Mughal manuscript painting. The work is noteworthy for its historical portraits as well as Jahangir’s visual realism, his remarkable knowledge of natural history, and the perceptive and detailed descriptions of the world around him. Moving away from conventional historical writing, the book is a psychological study of an individual, his innate qualities, behavioural moves and instinctive affinities. Jahangir’s memoirs reveal deeper facets of him as a person as well as a poet, aesthete, connoisseur of painting and a keen observer of nature, both human and that of the natural world. The author also includes other contemporary literature of the period that narrate Jahangir’s life, such as Akbarnama, Ma’asir-i Jahangiri, Iqbalnama-i Jahangiri, Intikhab-i Jahangiri, Tatimma-i Waqi’at-i Jahangiri and Zakhirat-ul Khwanin, as well as Jesuits accounts and travelogues. He further analyses the influence of European Renaissance art on the history of Mughal paintings. A first of its kind, this book will greatly interest scholars and researchers of medieval history, Indian history, Mughal history, art history, popular culture and South Asian studies, as well as the general reader.
This volume follows Mughal Painters and their Work-A Biographical Survey and Comprehensive Catalogue (Oxford University Press, New Delhi, 1994), the first comprehensive book of reference on the work of nearly 200 Mughal painters; and has been conceived to provide readers much information on the Mughal painting through the contribution of individual master painters. Need not say ample information is available about the artists of the Mughal atelier (sixteenth-seventeenth centuries). Yet, to date, except for some articles on a few painters, no book has been published on individual artist. Ustad Mansur, a keen observer of nature endowed with almost Euclidean intellect, deserved a more detailed study to re-evaluate his merit as an artist whose achievement in naturalistic portraiture of a large number of species from the world of flora and fauna has remained unsurpassed till today. Our attempt is to enter into the very creative process of this great Mughal painter; to relive in his times and environment, in order to discover real Mansur. The whole panorama of Mansur’s portraits of birds, animals and flowers set in marvellously and uniquely laid background represents, in his true spirit and characteristics, the very quintessence of nature’s endless variety of creation and beauty. Part I provides historical and artistic context in which Ustad Mansur worked. Information about him has been gleaned from original texts (principally Persian historical sources), supplemented by the evidence of artist’s own work. Part II comprises the plate section of representative eighteen miniatures that illustrate our painter’s style and his specialisation in painting. The appendix further enhances the value of this work since it provides correct rendering of contemporary inscriptions and determines genuine signatures and contemporary ascriptions. The volume is richly illustrated with a large number of black-and-white and colour illustrations. These illustrate the art and style of Ustad Mansur Nadir u’l ‘Asr (Unequalled of the Age), the most illustrious naturalist painter of India. It will naturally be of interest to students of art and natural history. It is also recommended to persons curious to know about the Mughal times. It is hoped that other volumes on individual Mughal painters will follow’ and monographs on their lives and work with a criticale valuation will be available.
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