1992/09/24 by Milo Cleveland Beach · 3 citations
Arts and Humanities · Social Sciences · #Asian Studies and History #Historical and Architectural Studies #South Asian Cinema and Culture
paper · doi:10.1017/chol9780521400275
openalex publication_date 1992/09/24 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/05/23
The Mughals - descendants of Timur and Genghiz Khan with strong cultural ties to the Persian world - seized political power in north India in 1526 and became the most important artistically active Muslim dynasty on the subcontinent. In this richly illustrated book, Dr Milo Beach shows how, between 1555 and 1630 in particular, Mughal patronage of the arts was incessant and radically innovative for the Indian context. The author reveals how Mughal painting was defined by the styles popular at the imperial court, whereas Pajput painting consisted of many local court styles, corresponding to the various Hindu kingdoms, each with different tastes and artistic inspirations. By reproducing nearly 200 examples in this study, Milo Beach traces the interplay of the traditions of Mughal and Rajput painting from the sixteenth to nineteenth centuries. He demonstrates the tolerance each showed towards outside influence and change and thus helps to define a uniquely Indian attitude towards the arts.