#indian islamic art

[artifacts-and-arthropods]

Emerald Spectacles from India, c. 1620-1660 CE: the lenses of these spectacles were cut from a single 300-carat emerald, and it was believed that they possessed mystical properties

These eyeglasses are also known by the name "Astaneh-e ferdaws," meaning "Gate of Paradise," based on the symbolic associations between the color green and the concept of spiritual salvation/Paradise. That symbolism (which is rooted in Islamic tradition) was especially popular in Mughal-era India, where the spectacles were made.

The lenses were crafted from two thin slices of the same emerald. Together, the lenses have a combined weight of about 27 carats, but given the precision, size, and shape of each lens, experts believe that the original emerald likely weighed in excess of 300 carats (more than sixty grams) before it was cleaved down in order to produce the lenses. The emerald was sourced from a mine in Muzo, Colombia, and it was then transported across the Atlantic by Spanish or Portuguese merchants.

Each lens is encircled by a series of rose-cut diamonds, which run along an ornate frame made of gold and silver. The diamond-studded frame was added in the 1890s, when the original prince-nez design was fitted with more modern frames.

The emerald eyeglasses have long been paired with a second set of spectacles, and they were almost certainly commissioned by the same patron. This second pair is known as "Halqeh-e nur," or the "Halo of Light."

The Halo of Light features lenses that were made from slices of diamond. The diamond lenses were cleaved from a single stone, just like the emerald lenses, with the diamond itself being sourced from a mine in Southern India. It's estimated that the original, uncut diamond would have weighed about 200-300 carats, which would make it one of the largest uncut diamonds ever found.

The lenses are so clear and so smoothly cut that it sometimes looks like they're not even there.

Both sets of spectacles date back to the mid-1600s, and it's generally believed that they were commissioned by a Mughal emperor or prince. The identity of that person is still a bit of a mystery, but it has been widely speculated that the patron was Shah Jahan -- the Mughal ruler who famously commissioned the Taj Mahal after the death of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Shah Jahan did rule as the Mughal emperor from about 1628 to 1658.

The emerald and diamond lenses may have been chosen for symbolic, sentimental, and/or cultural reasons, or they may have been chosen simply because they're pretty and extravagant; the original meaning and purpose behind the design is still unclear. Experts do believe that the eyeglasses were designed to be worn by someone, though.

At times, it was believed that the spectacles had spiritual properties, like the ability to promote healing, to ward off evil, to impart wisdom, and to bring the wearer closer to enlightenment. Those beliefs are largely based on the spiritual significance that emeralds and diamonds can have within certain Indic and Islamic traditions -- emeralds may be viewed as an emblem of Paradise, salvation, healing, cleansing, and eternal life, while diamonds are similarly associated with enlightenment, wisdom, celestial light, and mysticism.

The Gate of Paradise and the Halo of Light were both kept in the collections of a wealthy Indian family until 1980, when they were sold to private collectors, and they were then put up for auction once again in 2021. They were most recently valued at about $2 million to $3.4 million per pair.

Sources & More Info:

Sotheby's: Mughal Spectacles

Architectural Digest of India: At Sotheby's auction, Mughal-era eyeglasses made of diamond and emerald create a stir

Only Natural Diamonds: Auspicious Sight & the Halqeh-e Nur Spectacles

The Royal Society Publishing: Cleaving the Halqeh-Ye Nur Diamonds

Gemological Institution of America: Two Antique Mughal Spectacles with Gemstone Lenses

Manuscript: From Satan's Crown to the Holy Grail: emeralds in myth, magic, and history

CNN: The $3.5 million Spectacles Said to Ward off Evil

BBC: Rare Mughal Era Spectacles to be Auctioned by Sotheby's

[ramayantika]

Okay now what's the deal with hating on kathak for its connection with mughal history.

You don't even know a thing about dance but you got to hate it mindlessly

[memories-of-ancients]

Brass astrolabe, India, dated 1070 AH (1659-1660 AD)

from The British Museum

[jeannepompadour]

Jusuf and Zuleykha by Muhammad Nadir Samarqandi, 1630s; Mughal Indian art

[arthistoryanimalia]

For #NationalDolphinDay 🐬:

Hookah Base in the Shape of a Dolphin

Mughal India, 17th century

cast brass, 16.5 x 13cm

The Khalili Collections MTW 1500

“Smoking was introduced into the Mughal empire at the end of Akbar’s reign, when Asad Beg, one of his noblemen, brought tobacco and hookahs, or waterpipes, back from Bijapur in the Deccan. Asad Beg reported that tobacco was well known at Mecca and Medina and presented Akbar with a fine jewelled pipe with a mouthpiece of Yemeni carnelian. Although Akbar’s physician forbade him to smoke, the fashion for hookahs soon caught on and, as in Iran, various objects were adapted to hold the scented water through which the tobacco smoke passed. These included coconuts and various types of glass vessel, including bottles in which Dutch gin was exported, as well as spherical containers shaped like Indian waterpots [see MTW 1558]. These rested on rings or collars so that they stood upright. In addition, small hand-held hookah bases were made, some in the shape of mangoes or other fruit, or even in animal form and, as in this case, a dolphin.”

[vulturesouls]

From the Hamzanama. The prophet Elias (Elijah) rescuing Prince Nur ad-Dahr from drowning in a river. Lush forest in background and fish and sea creatures in foreground.

Mughal style, ca. 1564-1579 AD

British Museum

[cavalierzee]

Hazratbal Masjid

Location: Indian-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir

This pristine, white marble mosque on the banks of the Dal lake in Srinagar is famous for containing a relic, the Moi-e-Muqaddas, believed by many to be a hair Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). The mosque’s name is derived from the Urdu word hazrat.

Source: Bayt AL Fann

[letsgostealthelouvre]

Something about humanity just makes us want to make lamps shaped like birds and I, for one, appreciate that.

[ID: A metal oil lamp, made of a dark copper alloy that makes it look extremely heavy and antique. The lamp itself is a tray that serves as a base; atop this tray is a sculpture of a bird with an egg-shaped body, folded wings, an up-ticked little tail, a long neck, and a delicate head and beak. If you know what kind of bird this is sing out, because I’ve got no clue.]

[theactualleia]

"The Story of the Princess of the Blue Pavillion: The Youth of Rum Is Entertained in a Garden by a Fairy and her Maidens", Folio from a Khamsa (Quintet) of Amir Khusrau Dihlavi

Author Amir Khusrau Dihlavi (Indian)

Calligrapher Muhammad Husain Kashmiri (Indian)

Painting by Manohar

1597-98

[panicinthestudio]

Water Vessel, ca. 1580-1600 (made)

Probably Lahore, Mughal Empire

Brass, cast and engraved

Diameter: 15.4cm, Height: 12.3cm

Brass vessel of compressed spherical form with short neck and everted rim. Cast with engraved decoration, the hatched ground filled with the black decoration. Mughal empire, c. 1580-1600.

All the inscriptions on this vase, both on the outside and covering the interior surface, are in a bold, finely engraved naskhi script. The outside bears invocations to the 'Panj ahl-e beyt', or 'five Members of the House of Muhammad' and the inside has Koranic suras. The vessel seems originally to have had a spout. It is one of the earliest examples of metal wares so far known to have a form strongly characteristic of the Indian subcontinent but combined with purely Iranian decoration. It was bought for six guineas (£6. 6s. 6d) from F. Headen Cope, Esqre, Principal of C. J. College, Lahore, and placed in the Metal Room in the museum, 15th July, 1889. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Museum records (Asia Department registers and/or Central Inventory) as part of a 2023 provenance research project.

This water vessel was made within the Mughal empire, probably between about 1580 and 1600. All the inscriptions on the outer and inner surfaces are in a bold, finely engraved naskh. The outside bears invocations to the Panj Ahl-e Beyt, or 'Five Members of the House' of the Prophet Muhammad, and the inside Koranic verses. The decoration is based on Safavid designs of the period of Shah Tahmasp of Iran, but the form is characteristic of the Indian subcontinent. Collection of the Victoria & Albert Museum

[inreportsnewsofficial]

Pak not naming PM Modi after polls

New Delhi: Pakistan today said it wants sincere and “cooperative relations” with all its neighbours, including India, and resolves disputes through dialogue. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said this a day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi was sworn in for a third consecutive term. Prime Minister Modi-led National Democratic Alliance won 293 seats in the Lok Sabha…

[goshashka-design]

Background with seamless pattern in islamic or indian style

Background with seamless pattern in islamic or indian style

Seamless Islamic and Indian Patterns: A Tapestry of Cultural Beauty In this captivating collection of vector backgrounds, we step into a world where geometry and tradition intertwine — a canvas of intricate patterns that evoke the rich heritage of Islamic and Indian art. These seamless designs hold both aesthetic and cultural significance. Let’s explore the details of these vibrant…

[halaltripindia]

Fatehpur Sikri: Mughal grandeur on ancient red sandstone.

Step into history at Fatehpur Sikri, the “Mughal walled city” the glorious historical "city of victory," a UNESCO World Heritage site. Built by Mughal Emperor Akbar in the 16th century, it showcases Indo-Islamic art and design. Roam the well-preserved walled city and immerse yourself in an era that shaped India's cultural landscape.

Embark on a journey to discover the true essence of India with us. As one of the prime destinations for Halal-friendly travelers, India is adorned with a myriad of mesmerizing Halal-friendly travel destinations.

[thenerdsofcolor]

Nida Manzoor on 'Polite Society' and Breaking Barriers for South Asian and Muslim Women

In anticipation of Nida Manzoor’s thrilling masterpiece Polite Society, premiering this weekend, we speak with the writer/director herself about her career and the messages she aims to convey with her debut feature film. Continue reading Untitled

[arthistoryanimalia]

#FantasyFriday anyone? Check out this amazing 17th c. Mughal miniature painting!

A floral fantasy of animals & birds (Waq-waq) early 1600s India, Mughal Gum tempera & gold on paper 37.6 x 26.6 cm (14 13/16 x 10 1/2 in.) Cleveland Museum of Art

"Derived ultimately from a conflation of medieval Persian and Qur'anic sources, including descriptions of the mythical island of Waq-waq inhabited by half-plant/half-animal creatures, this extraordinary painting depicts a plant that brings forth animal life in multiple forms. Playfully rendered with animals both real and mythic and birds that seem to effervesce away as they break free of the stems, this brilliant rendition of a life-giving plant maintains its compositional integrity, even as it sprawls across the page. This painting was made to beguile courtly connoisseurs who would gather to admire the wondrous images in an imperial album."

[vulturesouls]

Portrait of Nawab Nadeem al-Dukhaan

18th century Murshidabad, India

British Museum