Entertainment in a Palace

Where: Faizabad, India

When: Circa 1765-1770

Who: Faizullah, an artist who worked for the royal family of Awadh

What: An opaque watercolour and gold painting on paper

This panoramic painting depicts the walled courtyards and gardens of a large palace complex and distant landscape. For a brief moment in the 18th century, such large-scale paintings became popular in the province of Awadh, a region in modern-day Uttar Pradesh, India. These paintings depicted the courtly life of Awadh, whose royal family were governors of the Mughal empire. In the Mughal period, walled gardens with geometrically planned beds were typical features of palaces, tomb complexes and countryside retreats.

This painting will be featured in the Aga Khan Museum’s Collections Gallery during the 2020 installation Bloom. Visit www.agakhanmuseum.org for additional details.

This article originally appeared in the Summer 2020 issue of The Ismaili Canada.