{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O15723"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O15723/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AV1964/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AV1964/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AV1964","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O15723/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O15723","accessionNumber":"AL.9232G","objectType":"Drawing","titles":[{"title":"The Taj Mahal viewed from across the river","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"‘Company paintings' were produced by Indian artists for Europeans living and working in the Indian subcontinent, especially British employees of the East India Company. They represent a fusion of traditional Indian artistic styles with conventions and technical features borrowed from western art. Some Company paintings were specially commissioned, while others were virtually mass-produced and could be purchased in bazaars. \r\n\r\nThis painting is a view of the Taj Mahal from across the river with six barges anchored along the far bank. The Taj Mahal was built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan to commemorate his deceased wife, Arjumand Banu Begum, better known as Mumtaz Mahal ('Elect of the Palace'), who died in 1631, shortly after giving birth to their fourteenth child. Work was begun in 1632, and the mausoleum was completed in 1653.","physicalDescription":"The Taj Mahal viewed from across the river with six laden barges anchored beside the far bank.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"watercolour","id":"x33202"},{"text":"paper","id":"x30308"}],"techniques":[{"text":"drawing (image-making)","id":"AAT54196"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Watercolour on paper","categories":[{"text":"ELISE","id":"THES48961"},{"text":"Architecture","id":"THES48993"},{"text":"Drawings","id":"THES48966"},{"text":"Indian Company Paintings","id":"THES49045"}],"styles":[{"text":"Company","id":"AAT18959"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"SSEA","id":"THES48598"},"images":["2006AV1964"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"006","id":"THES403497"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Painting","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Delhi","id":"x29851"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"possibly"},{"place":{"text":"Agra","id":"x30318"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"possibly"}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1820","earliest":"1815-01-01","latest":"1824-12-31"},"association":{"text":"drawn","id":"x30545"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"35","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"83","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Architectural drawing, Delhi or Agra, ca.1820","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Archer, Mildred. <u> Company Paintings Indian Paintings of the British period</u> \r\nVictoria and Albert Museum Indian Series London: Victoria and Albert Museum, Maplin Publishing, 1992 139 p. ISBN 0944142303"},{"reference":{"text":"Swallow, D., Stronge, S., Crill, R., Koezuka, T., editor and translator, \"The Art of the Indian Courts. Miniature Painting and Decorative Arts\", Victoria & Albert Museum and NHK Kinki Media Plan, 1993.","id":"AUTH346698"},"details":"p. 70, cat. no. 52","free":""}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"Architecture, Mughal","id":"x31032"},{"text":"boats","id":"AAT178749"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"THE TAJ MAHAL, AGRA\r\nWatercolour on paper\r\nDelhi or Agra\r\nc. 1820\r\nAL 9232G\r\nShah Jahan built the Taj Mahal as a tomb for his wife Mumtaz Mahal. She died in 1631 giving birth to her 14th child. Completed in 1643, the Taj is regarded as the greatest achievement of Mughal architecture because of its perfect synthesis of symmetry and simplicity of form. Constructed from white marble extracted from Makrana in Rajasthan, it has Quranic inscriptions and finely detailed floral decoration, both inlaid with semi-precious stones. Shah Jahan is also buried here.","date":{"text":"27/9/2013","earliest":"2013-09-27","latest":"2013-09-27"}}],"partNumbers":["AL.9232G"],"accessionNumberNum":"9232","accessionNumberPrefix":"AL","accessionYear":null,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"Previous number","id":"THES51695"},"number":"9232"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-10-02","recordCreationDate":"1999-12-15","availableToBook":true}}