The Taj Mahal

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Not currently on display at the V&A

Artist/Maker	Unknown
Place of origin	Delhi (made) Agra (made)

Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal as a mausoleum for his wife Mumtaz Mahal, who died in 1631 giving birth to their fourteenth child. Completed in 1643, the building is constructed from white marble extracted from Makrana in Rajasthan. Its Koranic inscriptions and finely detailed floral decoration are inlaid with semi-precious stones. Shah Jahan was buried next to his wife on his death in 1666.

Object details

Categories	Indian Company Paintings Architecture
Object type	Painting
Title	The Taj Mahal (generic title)
Materials and techniques	Watercolour on paper Watercolour Paper
Brief description	Painting, architectural: The Taj Mahal, watercolour on paper, Agra or Delhi, c.1820
Physical description	The Taj Mahal seen from across the river Jumna; three small boats on the river.
Dimensions	Length: 48.5cm Width: 70.8cm
Style	Company
Gallery label	Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal as a mausoleum for his wife Mumtaz Mahal, who died in 1631 giving birth to their fourteenth child. Completed in 1643, the building is constructed from white marble extracted from Makrana in Rajasthan. Its Koranic inscriptions and finely detailed floral decoration are inlaid with semi-precious stones. Shah Jahan was buried next to his wife on his death in 1666.(July 2017)
Subjects depicted	River Boats
Place depicted	Taj Mahal
Summary	Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal as a mausoleum for his wife Mumtaz Mahal, who died in 1631 giving birth to their fourteenth child. Completed in 1643, the building is constructed from white marble extracted from Makrana in Rajasthan. Its Koranic inscriptions and finely detailed floral decoration are inlaid with semi-precious stones. Shah Jahan was buried next to his wife on his death in 1666.
Bibliographic references	Archer, Mildred. Company Paintings Indian Paintings of the British period Victoria and Albert Museum Indian Series London: Victoria and Albert Museum, Maplin Publishing, 1992 136 p. ISBN 0944142303 The Indian Heritage. Court life and Arts under Mughal Rule London: The Victoria and Albert Museum, 1982 Number: ISBN 0 906969 26 3 Topsfield, Andrew; cat, no. 130, p. 56
Other number	4201 - Previous number
Collection	South & South East Asia Collection
Accession number	AL.4201

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Record created	June 25, 2009
Record URL	https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O403932/the-taj-mahal-painting-unknown/

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