Synopses & Reviews
Between the 14th and the 17th century, the Deccan plateau of south-central India was home to a series of important and highly cultured Muslim courts. Subtly blending elements from Iran, West Asia, southern India, and sometimes Europe, as well as southern and northern India, the arts produced under these sultanates are markedly different from those of the rest of India and especially from those created under Mughal patronage. This publication, dedicated to the unique artistic output of the Deccan, is the result of aand#160;symposium held at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2008. Updating prior research in this field, the essays in this volume respond to and challenge earlier perceptions of Deccani art by bringing to light previously unpublished paintings, investigating new works of literature, identifying otherwise unattributed carpets and textiles (including several in theand#160;Metropolitan Museum), and supplying fresh interpretations of rarely studied architectural monuments. Throughout, the Deccan's connections to the wider world are explored.and#160;
Special features of the book are the illustration of all thirty-four paintings from a 16th-century copy of the poem the Pem Nem, and new photography by Amit Pasrichaand#160;of the Ibrahim Rauza in Bijapur, withand#160;the firstand#160;full transcription and translation of the tomb's inscriptions.
Synopsis
A survey of the stunningly beautiful visual and decorative arts created by Indiaand#39;s Deccan kingdoms
Synopsis
This pioneering book captures a rich cultural period in Indian history through artworks produced in the Deccan plateau, where Muslim kingdoms conducted international trade with Iran, Turkey, Africa, and Europe.and#160;
Synopsis
In the 16th and 17th centuries, the Deccan plateau of south-central India was home to a series of important, highly cultured Muslim kingdoms and was a nexus of international trade. Invigorated by cultural connections to Iran, Turkey, East Africa, and Europe, Deccani art is celebrated for its unmistakable, otherworldly character: in painting, a poetic lyricism; in architecture, a somber grandeur; and in the decorative arts, lively creations in inlaid metalwork and dyed textiles. This beautifully illustrated catalogue, which includes extraordinary new site photographs and lush landscape images, along with discussions of 200 of the finest Deccani works, creates the most comprehensive examination to date of this fascinating and remote world. The text not only discusses paintings, drawings, textiles, arms, manuscripts, and other decorative arts from this rich culture, but also explores the history, architecture, literature, and music of the period. Essays by prominent international authors, supplemented by informative maps, illustrated appendices, and select primary sources, make this pioneering book a key resource on the subject.
About the Author
Navina Najat Haidar is curator and Marika Sardar is a research associate, both in the Department of Islamic Art at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.