Jujhar Singh Bundela Kneels in Submission to Shah Jahan, c. 1630. By Bichitr, with details by Harif. 9-11/16 x 6-3/8".

The Virgin Mary and the Christ Child with Cross in the Couds. ca. 1595-1600. Painting: 5-1/8 x 2-3/4".

Nelson-Atkins
Museum of Art
4525 Oak Street
816-751-1278
Kansas City
From the Land
of the Taj Mahal:
Paintings for India’s
Mughal Emperors
March 21-June 14, 2009

The highly detailed and sumptuous works of art in the exhibition From the Land of the Taj Mahal: Paintings for India’s Mughal Emperors were commissioned by two of India’s most powerful leaders during the 17th century when much of modern India and Pakistan was ruled by a single Islamic empire.

The paintings in the exhibition are on loan from the Chester Beatty Library, Dublin, and previously were rarely on view and open only to acknowledged scholars in the field.

“Imagine if you had the chance to see the most rare, beautiful, illustrated manuscripts collected by the popes in the Vatican. That is what you have here, only from the private collections of the Mughal emperors of India,” says Brian Hogarth, Director, Educational Affairs at the Nelson-Atkins. “The paintings and calligraphies in the exhibition are extremely beautiful to look at, being highly detailed and rich in colors.”

Mughal is derived from “Mongol” because the Mughals traced their heritage back to both the great Mongol leader Genghis Khan and to Timur, or Tamburlaine the Great. The first Mughal reign began in 1526. The paintings in the exhibition are from the reign of Jahangir (1605-1627) and Shah Jahan (1627-1658), who is most famous as commissioning the construction of the Taj Mahal.

Indian painting before the Mughals consisted almost entirely of religious subject matter. But the Mughals took a keen interest in what they saw around them. Images reflect the life and times of the Mughal courts. They include portraits of the emperors, courtiers, holy men, important historical events, animals and hunting scenes. Many figures wear sumptuous textiles and are adorned with elegant jewels. The scenes provide a window into the world view of these reigns.

The exhibition is divided into thematic sections that illustrate the royal family, the arts of literature and religion, recordings of history and the natural world, life in court and depictions of loyalty and service to the emperor.

Another section deals with the acceptance of other faiths during these emperor’s reigns.

“The Mughals were members of the Sunni order of Islam, but they found themselves ruling over a diverse population of mainly Hindus and followers of other faiths. The works in this grouping demonstrate how they encouraged tolerance, their role as patrons of the Chishti Sufi order, and their fascination with Christian imagery derived from European prints. Works include images of Mary, a Jesuit priest and other Christian figures as well as depictions of Hindu and Sufi mystics. A key work includes a portrait of Jahangir with Jesus,” Hogarth said.

The unique style of the paintings incorporate a blending of ideas from Persian art, Indian painting styles and subject matter, as well as influences from western art, such as shading and perspective.

“These are exquisite, highly detailed works of art. We’ll be providing magnifying glasses so that visitors can see the brilliant colors and find details,” says Hogarth.

Kimberly Masteller, the newly arrived Jeanne McCray Beals Curator of South and Southeast Asia Art, notes that the albums are particularly valuable because they are the closest reflection of their patron’s actual taste and interests, “just like your own photo albums reveal a great deal about you and your interests. The albums are small, intimate and intended for private viewing by only a handful of people. It is humbling to think about the special company you are in when you stand before these precious little paintings.”