statue near the museum entrance
Crow Museum of Asian Art of The University of Texas at Dallas

Art of Mughal India

Saturday, October 22, 2022

Dagger Hilt with Head of a Lion India Mughal period (1526–1857), 19th century Jade (nephrite), gold, and gemstones Crow Museum of Asian Art of The University of Texas at Dallas, 1986.18
Elephant Tusk with Roundels of Paired Birds India Mughal period (1526–1857), 18th century Ivory Crow Museum of Asian Art of The University of Texas at Dallas, 1960.49
Covered Censer India Mughal period (1526–1857), 18th to 19th century Jade (nephrite) Crow Museum of Asian Art of The University of Texas at Dallas, 1977.9
Vase China Qing dynasty (1644–1911), 18th to 19th century Jade (nephrite) and wood stand Crow Museum of Asian Art of The University of Texas at Dallas, 1975.4
Oval Box India Mughal period (1526–1857), 18th century Jade (nephrite), later mounted in silver gilt in the 19th century Crow Museum of Asian Art of The University of Texas at Dallas, 1975.8

Mughal jade carving began in the early 17thcentury during the reign of Emperor Jahangir (r. 1605–1627). Jade stone was used for a variety of objects, from vessels, ornaments for weapons, to objects of personal adornment. Like his Timurid forefathers, Emperor Jahangir was an avid collector of jade objects. Mughal jades are noted for their fine workmanship, most notably their extremely thin walls, smoothly finished surfaces, and a precision and skill in depicting floral designs. Some pieces were also inlaid with gold and semiprecious stones.

Examples of Mughal jades were presented to the Qianlong emperor (r. 1736–1795) of China in the eighteenth century, largely as tribute gifts from Muslim rulers and officials based in Xinjiang province. The emperor was so impressed with them that he composed numerous poems in praise of them. He greatly admired their thin walls and meticulous detail, comparing their quality to paper and to the wings of a cicada, so thin that one could see the outside design from the inside. Chinese jade craftspeople sought to please the emperor by copying Mughal pieces and creating works with a high degree of transparency and perfect uniformity. From the late 18th to the early 20th century, fine quality Mughal-style jade vessels adorned with borrowed Mughal floral motifs were exceedingly popular in China.