Overview
The definitive catalogue of an unparalleled collection of Indian jewelry and luxury objects made at the height of the Mughal empire and the Deccan sultanates. This is the definitive catalogue of an unparalleled collection of Indian jewelry and jewelled luxury objects made at the height of the Mughal empire and Deccan sultanates in the 16th and 17th centuries. The collection, widely regarded as one of the finest in the world, was assembled by Sheikh Nasser and Sheikha Hussa al-Sabah for The al-Sabah Collection, Kuwait, and reveals the beauty, sophistication and diversity of Indian jewelled arts. The Indian subcontinent is naturally rich in gems. From ancient times master jewellers developed a wide array of unique techniques and made it home to the most sophisticated jewels on earth. Exotic birds and animals, flowers, trees and mythological scenes rendered in precious gemstones, gold and enamel demonstrate these artists' prodigious imagination and skill. They produced not only an unmatched range of jewelry to adorn the body but also ritual and household items of astonishing refinement and luxury, as well as extravagantly large engraved gemstones to serve as symbols of their princely patrons' royal power - including a spinel of nearly 250 carats believed to be the legendary Timur Ruby. This volume includes not only the finest and most valuable pieces in the collection - some familiar to connoisseurs, others published here for the first time - but also many previously unknown types that extend our understanding of artistic output in the region. With specially commissioned photography giving unprecedented new views of more than 300 jewelled objects, this is a publication of historic importance and beauty, for all lovers of jewelry, the arts of India and of the Islamic world.
Full Product Details
Author: Salam Kaoukji
Publisher: Thames & Hudson Ltd
Imprint: Thames & Hudson Ltd
Weight: 2.060kg
ISBN: 9780500978658
ISBN 10: 0500978654
Pages: 416
Publication Date: 27 June 2024
Audience:
General/trade
,
General
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
Availability: Available To Order
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Reviews
"""[An] awe-inspiring book for fans of jewelry of India and the Islamic world.""-- ""Forbes"" ""Highlights not only the history of the region, but also its jewelry resources and cultural influences.""-- ""Rapaport Magazine"""
Author Information
Salam Kaoukji is curator and collection manager of The al-Sabah Collection, Kuwait, and an editor of Thames & Hudson's long-running and acclaimed series of catalogues. Her previous books include Precious Indian Weapons and other Princely Accoutrements (2017) and Treasury of the World: Jewelled Arts of India in the Age of the Mughals (with Manuel Keene, 2001).
