Ashmolean Eastern Art Online, Yousef Jameel Centre for Islamic and Asian Art

The most powerful and lasting of the Islamic dynasties in India was that of the Mughal emperors. Founded by Babur in 1526, the empire was consolidated by his grandson Akbar (1556-1605). Ruling from Agra, Delhi, and Lahore, Akbar and his successors became lavish and innovative patrons of art and architecture. For over a century, the Mughal court arts achieved a brilliant synthesis of Persian, Indian, and European styles. In Europe, the ‘Great Mogul' became a byword for absolute power and courtly magnificence.

Mughal India gallery decorative arts case.

Mughal artistic influence also spread to the provincial courts of the Deccani sultans and the Hindu Rajputs. By the 1760s, the empire was in decline and the British East India Company had begun to dominate the subcontinent. The arts of this later, ‘Company' period show increasingly strong European features.

Royal flag with sun symbol (EA2001.172)   Soapstone figure of Ganesha (EAX.2561)

Soapstone figure of Rahu, an astrological figure (EAX.2519)   Soapstone figure of Budha, or Mercury (EAX.2520)   Soapstone figure of Shukra, or Venus (EAX.2521)   Soapstone figure of Ketu, an astrological figure (EAX.2522)

Soapstone figure of Brihaspati, or Jupiter (EAX.2523)   Soapstone figure of Mangala, or Mars (EAX.2524)   Soapstone figure of Aditya, or Sun (EAX.2525)   Soapstone figure of Shani, or Saturn (EAX.2526)