From the Land of the Taj Mahal

Shah Jahan

"From the Land of the Taj Mahal: Paintings for India's Mughal Emperors in the Chester Beatty Library" runs from March 21, 2009— June 14, 2009 at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City.

The Mughal Empire was an Islamic dynasty descended from the Mongols that ruled most of India from 1526 to 1857. Leaders such as Shah Jahan, who is best known for building the Taj Mahal, commissioned vibrant illustrations and calligraphies from the greatest artists of the time.

The imagery and techniques used by Mughal artists demonstrate the interaction between Persian and Indian painting traditions, Christian imagery, and European ideas about depth and perspective–developments that were revolutionary in their time. Highly detailed and richly colored portraits of emperors, holy men, important historical events and hunting scenes provide a window into this important period of Indian history and culture.

We know a lot about the Mughals because they wrote memoirs and chronicled their reigns. They presided over a rich empire and a luxurious court.

This website is organized into four sections that allow you to dig deeper into the history and a few important aspects of the Mughal emperor’s lives including religion, opulence, legacy and art.