The Emperor & The Hawk
Cleverly hidden in the design of a silver coin is the story of Mughal emperor Jahangir’s lifelong fascination with birds of prey
Mughal Art
The Birth of Christ
This later Mughal miniature shows the ‘Birth of Jesus Christ’ by an unidentified artist. True to the realm of Mughal miniatures of this time produced around European themes, the setup and backdrop remain entirely Indian. Women dressed in native ensembles and veils cater to the newborn as Mother Mary lies on a bed wrapped up… Read more »
Quiz: Gujarat’s lions, India’s pride
Take our quiz to learn something new about the real Sher Khan
‘Ornamenting the Walls of an Imperial Capital: Fathpur Sikri and its surface decorations’ by Nadeem Rezavi
“The wall paintings at Fathpur were first catalogued by E W Smith in 1895. Exactly a century later, I photographed them. Some that Smith saw have since disappeared; some not recorded by him, are now visible. What survives gives us a good idea of the Mughals’ worldview and their attempts at founding an all-inclusive culture.”… Read more »
‘Mansur: A novel in twenty-four miniatures’ by Vikramajit Ram
“Set in Agra, 1627, Mansur: A Novel reimagines a day in the life of an imperial Mughal atelier. Ustad Mansur belonged to a distinguished group of master painters in the service of Jahangir. He specialised in watercolour life-studies—of unmatched realism and finesse—of flora and fauna, both native and exotic.” – Vikramajit Ram for Sarmaya Talks.… Read more »
One tradition, many lives: The Indian miniature
We welcome some priceless miniature paintings into our collection, including the Mughal Hamzanama by exploring the many traditions of this practice in the Sarmaya collection
Book of Kings: Early Mughal portraits in Muraqqa’s
Opulently gilded and calligraphed, filled with a patchwork of intricately detailed imagery, evoking wonder and awe, the muraqqa’ tells unforgettable tales of royalty
‘Golden Age: What Mughal Coins Tell Us About the Great Empire’ by Paul Abraham
Banker by profession and numismatist by passion, Paul maps the expanse of the Mughal empire and the breadth of its ambition through its coinage
‘Those Magnificent Mughals: 400 Years of Design Inspiration’ by Pavitra Rajaram
Designer and entrepreneur Pavitra Rajaram on the indelible footprint of the Mughal taste-makers on India’s art, culture, architecture and fashion
Wild World: Animals in Contemporary Indian Art
Spirituality, sensuality and everything in between—what animals represent in a select few of Sarmaya’s contemporary art works
The Romance of the Taj Mahal: It’s Complicated
It’s a symbol of romantic love the world over. But what do the historians have to say about Mughal India’s most famous legacy? We examine new theories and pair them with rare vintage photographs of the Taj Mahal from our archive
Finding Jesus: When Mughal Art Discovered the Land of the Bible
Starting in the 16th century, Christian themes went viral in traditional Indian art. Shubhasree Purkayastha explains how it all began
Locating Christ: Ranjit Hoskote in conversation with Paul Abraham
“Modern, contemporary, ancient, folk. All of these terms really dissolve in the face of art-making.”
Maximum Art: The Incredible Journey of Indian Miniatures
Exploring the magnificent, mammoth traditions of Indian ‘miniatures’
Meet the Muse
The Issanama may be the story of Jesus, but it draws from a syncretic narrative of history as embodied by Emperor Akbar’s incredible Hamzanama folios
Prayer at Gethsemane
This painting is an interpretation, Jesus prays to his father on the night before his crucifixion. The artist Manish Soni has employed a distinctive Hamzanama trope to convey the intensity and pathos of this scene.
Raising of Lazarus
This folio titled ‘Raising of Lazarus’ is a part of the Issanama series. The Issanama commission lies at the intersection of art and history, and offers lush evidence of the plurality and syncretism inherent in Indian culture. It’s an artistic collaboration between the founder of Sarmaya, Paul Abraham and traditional miniaturist and third-generation artist, Manish… Read more »
Calming the Storm III
This folio titled ‘Calming the Storm III’ is a part of the Issanama series. The Issanama commission lies at the intersection of art and history, and offers lush evidence of the plurality and syncretism inherent in Indian culture. It’s an artistic collaboration between the founder of Sarmaya, Paul Abraham and traditional miniaturist and third-generation artist, Manish… Read more »
Calming the Storm II
This folio titled ‘Calming the Storm II’ is a part of the Issanama series. The Issanama commission lies at the intersection of art and history, and offers lush evidence of the plurality and syncretism inherent in Indian culture. It’s an artistic collaboration between the founder of Sarmaya, Paul Abraham and traditional miniaturist and third-generation artist, Manish… Read more »
Calming the Storm I
This folio titled ‘Calming the Storm I’ is a part of the Issanama series. The Issanama commission lies at the intersection of art and history, and offers lush evidence of the plurality and syncretism inherent in Indian culture. It’s an artistic collaboration between the founder of Sarmaya, Paul Abraham and traditional miniaturist and third-generation artist, Manish… Read more »