One of ten drawings of details of pietra-dura ornamentation on the cenotaphs of Shah Jahan and his wife Mumtaz Mahal, at Agra.
Drawing
ca.1840 (made)
ca.1840 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This Company painting shows details of inlaid marble decoration, or pietra dura, work on the cenotaph of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in the Taj Mahal at Agra. Situated by the River Jumna at Agra, this mausoleum was commissioned by Shah Jahan to enshrine the body of his favourite wife, Arjumand Banu Begum, better known as Mumtaz Mahal ('Elect of the Palace'), who died shortly after giving birth to her fourteenth child in 1631. Construction of the Taj Mahal began in 1632 with a workforce of 20,000 men, and was completed in 1653.
'Company paintings' were produced by Indian artists for Europeans living and working in the Indian subcontinent, especially British employees of the East India Company. They represent a fusion of traditional Indian artistic styles with conventions and technical features borrowed from western art. Some Company paintings were specially commissioned, while others were virtually mass-produced and could be purchased in bazaars.
'Company paintings' were produced by Indian artists for Europeans living and working in the Indian subcontinent, especially British employees of the East India Company. They represent a fusion of traditional Indian artistic styles with conventions and technical features borrowed from western art. Some Company paintings were specially commissioned, while others were virtually mass-produced and could be purchased in bazaars.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Title | One of ten drawings of details of pietra-dura ornamentation on the cenotaphs of Shah Jahan and his wife Mumtaz Mahal, at Agra. (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Watercolour |
| Brief description | architectural; Drawings |
| Physical description | Detail of pietra dura ornamentation on the cenotaph of Shah Jahan showing flowers. |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | This Company painting shows details of inlaid marble decoration, or pietra dura, work on the cenotaph of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in the Taj Mahal at Agra. Situated by the River Jumna at Agra, this mausoleum was commissioned by Shah Jahan to enshrine the body of his favourite wife, Arjumand Banu Begum, better known as Mumtaz Mahal ('Elect of the Palace'), who died shortly after giving birth to her fourteenth child in 1631. Construction of the Taj Mahal began in 1632 with a workforce of 20,000 men, and was completed in 1653. 'Company paintings' were produced by Indian artists for Europeans living and working in the Indian subcontinent, especially British employees of the East India Company. They represent a fusion of traditional Indian artistic styles with conventions and technical features borrowed from western art. Some Company paintings were specially commissioned, while others were virtually mass-produced and could be purchased in bazaars. |
| Bibliographic reference | Archer, Mildred. Company Paintings Indian Paintings of the British period
Victoria and Albert Museum Indian Series London: Victoria and Albert Museum, Maplin Publishing, 1992 150 p. ISBN 0944142303 |
| Other number | 8484 - Previous number |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | AL.8484:10 |
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| Record created | December 15, 1999 |
| Record URL |
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