V&A Museum’s Upcoming Exhibition Sticks the Artistic Grandeur of Mughal Hindustan on display amidst shifting Historical Narrative in India
The Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) is set to unveil The Great Mughals: Art, Architecture and Opulence, an exhibition showcasing the monumental artistic achievements of the Mughal Empire’s ‘Golden Age’ (c. 1560 – 1660). Running from 9 November 2024 to 5 May 2025, the exhibition celebrates the unique creative output and internationalist culture of Mughal Hindustan during the reigns of its most powerful emperors. While London prepares to host this landmark event, in India, birthplace of The Great Mughals, the legacy finds itself at the center of a polarizing historical debate.
India’s Historical Amnesia?
While in London, V&A art exhibition highlights Mughal Empire, in India, the empire’s contributions to art, architecture, and culture face increasing marginalization within the public discourse. Recent years have seen an attempt at an erasure of Mughal history from textbooks and monuments, framing their legacy as that of foreign invaders rather than integral contributors to India’s identity and culture. The grandeur of Mughal contributions—from the Taj Mahal to the intricate miniature paintings—remains hard to deny, yet political and communal narratives have sought to deconstruct their place in India’s past.
The exhibition serves as a timely reminder of the Mughals’ role in shaping India’s artistic and cultural landscape for the global audience, especially as debates over history continue to take place in the country itself.
The Great Mughals and their Great Mixing Experiments
Image Courtesy- V&A Museum
While highlighting the influence of European art on Mughal workshops, introduced by Christian missionaries, foreign ambassadors, and merchants, the exhibition spans the reigns of the empire’s most famous rulers, including Akbar, Jahangir, and Shah Jahan. The treasures on display are histories of places like northern India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Kashmir, and Bangladesh. This Great Mughal period saw the collaboration of Hindu and Muslim craftsmen with Iranian masters that were working in royal workshops. Their interactions lead to a uniquely Mughal aesthetic that blended diverse artistic traditions with each other.
Image Courtesy- The Tribune
Curated by Susan Stronge, the exhibition features both well-known and rarely seen objects by Jahangir, Akbar, Shah Jahan, artifacts V&A is displaying, defines the era of the great kings. Famous English historian and author William Dalrymple praised the curation, describing it as a “treasury of the greatest wonders to survive from one of the most elegant and refined courts in world history.”
The Patron King of the Arts
Lahore, completed 25 Sha’ban AH 1002 (16 May 1594)
Opaque watercolour and gold on paper; 38.5×25.5 cm
The David Collection, Copenhagen: 16/1992
Photo by the author
Image Courtesy- Orientations.com.hk
One of the most remarkable rulers of this period, Emperor Akbar, ascended the Mughal throne at just fourteen years old. Despite being unable to read or write, he was an enthusiastic patron of literature and visual arts. Under his reign, new imperial workshops were taking place, producing some of the finest artistic works of the Mughal era. His House of Books (Ketab-khana) became a hub of artistic excellence, collecting and crafting masterpieces like the Hamza-Nama (Book of Hamza), a grand manuscript chronicling the adventures of Amir Hamza also including Mughal Miniature paintings.
Mughal Arts and its Global Influence
The exhibition in London also explores how the Mughal Empire’s wealth—derived from land revenues, mineral resources, textiles, and international trade—enabled a cosmopolitan artistic and technological exchange. This distinctive Mughal style that absorbed influences from across Europe and Asia enriched the history of Hindustan. Iranian artistic traditions, in particular, shaped Mughal aesthetics, seamlessly blending with the deeply rooted craftsmanship of the Indian subcontinent.
From the Hamza-Nama; c. 1562–77
Opaque watercolour and gold on cotton backed with paper, 67.1×52 cm
MAK – Austrian Museum of Applied Arts/Contemporary Art, Vienna: B1 8770-28
Photo by the author
Image Courtesy- Oreintations.com.hk
Image Courtesy- The Guardian
A Rare Glimpse into Mughal Opulence
The Great Mughals: Art, Architecture, and Opulence promises to be a landmark in Mughal jewelry and textiles exhibition, offering visitors an unparalleled insight into the Mughal Empire’s sophisticated artistic legacy. The Mughal V&A art show, virtual tour, also gives a premium experience of combining technology with the exhibition. It presents a rare opportunity to witness the heights of pre-modern architecture, art, and culture that defined the era amidst deep controversies.
For those eager to experience the splendor of Mughal artistry, the exhibition will be open at the V&A Museum. For more details and Great Mughals exhibition tickets, visit the V&A Museum’s official website.
Feature Image Courtesy: Painting, a zebra, by Mansur, 1621, Mughal court, V&A Museum.
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