Not currently on display at the V&A

Mausoleum of the Emperor Humaioon

Photograph
1860s (photographed)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This photograph shows the tomb of the emperor Humayan. It was built during the reign of his son Akbar and dates from between 1562 and 1571. The tomb was designed by the Persian architect Mirak Mirza Ghiyas and has the first double dome to be built in India. This is a favourite Persian device which gives the external structure an imposing exterior dome but keeps the interior dome smaller and in proportion to the rest of the internal structure.

The dome rises to over 42.67 metres and is surrounded by small pavilions or ‘chhattris’, which probably once served as ‘madrasa’ (colleges). The ‘chhattris’ and the red sandstone and white marble panels of the façade are the main Indian architectural influences on this largely Persian-style monument.

Humayan’s tomb is the first substantial piece of Mughal architecture in India incorporating symmetry, high arches and a double dome. It is also the first example of a garden-tomb. The tomb is particularly important in the history of Indian architecture as it is the prototype for the Taj Mahal.

The British photographer Samuel Bourne lived and worked in India between 1862 and 1869. During this time he toured the Himalayas and travelled through the subcontinent, photographing its landscape, architecture and historical sites. He set up a studio in Simla with Charles Shepherd and sold his prints sold to an eager public both in India and Britain.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleMausoleum of the Emperor Humaioon (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Albumen print from wet collodion glass negative
Brief description
Photograph of Humayan's tomb, Delhi, India by Samuel Bourne, 1860s.
Physical description
The tome was built for the emperor Humayan during the reign of his son Akbar.

As seen in this photograph, the tomb consists of a small platform about 1.5 m in height. Standing on this is a high platform 6.5m high by 99 m wide per side. Each of the sides of the high platform has 17 arches and the corners are chamferred with an oblique arch. The central arch on each side has a staircase which leads to the next level, the mausoleum itself. The mausoleum has a square plan (47.54m across) although it is octagonal in shape because of the slightly campherred corners.

The over exposure of this (negative?) photograph makes it difficult to see the white marble dome at the top of the mausoleum. The bright Indian sunlight often made it difficult to photograph white marble. This was the first double dome to be built in India, a favourite Persian device whereby the external structure was given an imposing exterior dome but the interior was smaller and kept in proportion to the rest of the internal structure. The dome rises to over 42.67m and is the first full dome in India as all other pervious domes did not trace a full semi-circle. It is surrounded by small pavilions or Chhattris, which were once believed to serve as madrasa (colleges). The Chhattris and the red sandstone and white marble panels of the façade are the primary Indian architectural influences to this largely Persian style monument.
Dimensions
  • Photograph height: 21.8cm
  • Photograph width: 27.5cm
  • Mount height: 26.7cm
  • Mount width: 33cm
Marks and inscriptions
Signature and negative number in the bottom left hand side.
Object history
The photograph was initially part of the photographic collection held in the National Art Library. The markings on the mount are an indication of the history of the object, its movement through the museum and the way in which it is categorised.
The mount is green and on the right hand side there is a label with the title.
Historical context
The tome was built for the emperor Humayan during the reign of his son Akbar. Although Humanyan’s widow, Bega Begam (Haji Begam) is popularly thought to have commissioned it, some documents suggest that it was Akbar who played the more significant part. The monument has been dated to between 1562 and1571 and was designed by the Persian architect Mirak Mirza Ghiyas.

The tomb is the first substantial piece of Mughal architecture in India incorporating symmetry, high arches, a double dome and also the first example of a garden tomb. It is particularly important in the history of architecture as it is the prototype for the Taj Mahal.

As seen in this photograph, the tomb consists of a small platform about 1.5 m in height. Standing on this is a high platform 6.5m high by 99 m wide per side. Each of the sides of the high platform has 17 arches and the corners are chamferred with an oblique arch. The central arch on each side has a staircase which leads to the next level, the mausoleum itself. The mausoleum has a square plan (47.54m across) although it is octagonal in shape because of the slightly campherred corners.

The over exposure of this (negative?) photograph makes it difficult to see the white marble dome at the top of the mausoleum. The bright Indian sunlight often made it difficult to photograph white marble. This was the first double dome to be built in India, a favourite Persian device whereby the external structure was given an imposing exterior dome but the interior was smaller and kept in proportion to the rest of the internal structure. The dome rises to over 42.67m and is the first full dome in India as all other pervious domes did not trace a full semi-circle. It is surrounded by small pavilions or Chhattris, which were once believed to serve as madrasa (colleges). The Chhattris and the red sandstone and white marble panels of the façade are the primary Indian architectural influences to this largely Persian style monument.

Alongside the emperor Humayan, several other Mughal rulers are buried here. It was also here that the last Mughal emperor, Bahadur Shah II was captured by the British in 1857, after the Indian ‘Mutiny’.
Production
Bourne visited Delhi in 1863, as mentioned in his writings. He is also likely to have made subsequent visits in 1864 and 1866 though this is not recorded in his writings. This print would have been made before March 1867.
Places depicted
Summary
This photograph shows the tomb of the emperor Humayan. It was built during the reign of his son Akbar and dates from between 1562 and 1571. The tomb was designed by the Persian architect Mirak Mirza Ghiyas and has the first double dome to be built in India. This is a favourite Persian device which gives the external structure an imposing exterior dome but keeps the interior dome smaller and in proportion to the rest of the internal structure.

The dome rises to over 42.67 metres and is surrounded by small pavilions or ‘chhattris’, which probably once served as ‘madrasa’ (colleges). The ‘chhattris’ and the red sandstone and white marble panels of the façade are the main Indian architectural influences on this largely Persian-style monument.

Humayan’s tomb is the first substantial piece of Mughal architecture in India incorporating symmetry, high arches and a double dome. It is also the first example of a garden-tomb. The tomb is particularly important in the history of Indian architecture as it is the prototype for the Taj Mahal.

The British photographer Samuel Bourne lived and worked in India between 1862 and 1869. During this time he toured the Himalayas and travelled through the subcontinent, photographing its landscape, architecture and historical sites. He set up a studio in Simla with Charles Shepherd and sold his prints sold to an eager public both in India and Britain.
Bibliographic reference
Bourne, S, Photography in the East, The British Journal of Photography, September 1 1863, pg 345.
Other number
1362 - Negative number
Collection
Accession number
53206

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Record createdJanuary 27, 2005
Record URL
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