Mughal and Persian Paintings and Illustrated Manuscripts in the Raza Library, Rampur

by Barbara Schmitz and Ziyaud-Din A. Desai

During the 19 century and the first half of the 20 century, the Nawwabs of Rampur, the hereditary rulers of Rohilkhand, a district some 75 kilometers east of New Delhi, amassed a large collection of books and art, including illustrated books and album paintings. Their collection was given to the people of India after independence.

The Raza Library at Ramput thus possesses a remarkable collection of Mughal and Persian Paintings and illustrated books. This includes miniatures from the great Jahangirnama, considered by many as the greatest of all Mughal illustrated manuscripts. The Raza Library holdings of the Akbar period are equally distinguished including a work on astrology Tarjama-i Sirr al-maktum and a Divan-i- Hafiz with eleven miniatures by Akbar's best court artists painted in Lahore about 1585, published here with much new scholarship.

A painting of the aging Jahangir at the jharokha and many other portraits of the 17-19 centuries will come as wonderful surprises to those interested in Indian art throughout the world.

Most of the miniatures (some 4,000 in number) and the contents of thirty-five albums of paintings (an additional 1,000 items) are catalogued herein. Many of these are being reproduced for the first time.

The catalogue entries include up-to-date scholarly research on Mughal and Persian Painting. An extensive bibliography and numerous indices make this volume a helpful tool for scholars. The catalogue's 330 illustrations will delight every reader.