Immerse yourself in the golden age of the Mughal Empire. India's Great Mughals: Art, Power, and Opulence celebrates the glorious artistic achievements and grandeur of one of history's great empires.  

India's Great Mughals includes 200 sumptuous objects—intricate paintings and manuscripts, lavish textiles, architectural elements, metalwork, furniture, arms and armor, dazzling precious stones, and more. Opulent works of art—many made in the imperial workshops—convey the power and tastes of the three most celebrated Mughal emperors: Akbar (r. 1556–1605), Jahangir (r. 1605–27), and Shah Jahan (r. 1628–58). From the tiniest jeweled objects to the monumental wonder of the Taj Mahal, this highly sophisticated and globally connected empire produced treasures of unparalleled splendor and magnificence.  

The extraordinary creative output of the imperial ateliers conveyed the Mughals’ great wealth and power. In addition to glorifying the emperors, these diverse artistic productions also signaled worldliness. Descendants of a Central Asian prince, these cosmopolitan emperors presided over a multicultural court that fused Indian and Iranian cultures and regarded the empire's array of languages and religions with great interest. Most notably, they encouraged artistic exchange with Europe, China, Africa, and the Americas, and elevated the importance of cultural and artistic pursuits to new heights. 

India's Great Mughals: Art, Power, and Opulence is organized by the Victoria and Albert Museum. The coordinating curator for VMFA is Dr. John Henry Rice, E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Curator of South Asian and Islamic Art.