{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O15727"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O15727/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2011ER0582/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2011ER0582/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2011ER0582","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O15727/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O15727","accessionNumber":"AL.9232O","objectType":"Architectural drawing (visual work)","titles":[{"title":"Tops of the cenotaphs of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal in the Taj Mahal, Agra","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\nThe 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. When his son Aurangzeb seized the throne, Shah Jahan was imprisoned for the rest of his life in Agra Fort, from which he would gaze wistfully at the Taj Mahal in the distance, When he died, in January 1666, his body was interred there alongside that of his wife. Their cenotaphs, depicted here, are made of white marble inlaid with pietra dura.","physicalDescription":"The tops of the cenotaphs of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal in the Taj Mahal.","artistMakerPerson":[],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"watercolour","id":"x33202"},{"text":"paper","id":"x30308"}],"techniques":[{"text":"drawing (image-making)","id":"AAT54196"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Watercolour on paper","categories":[{"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":["2011ER0582"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"SHLN","id":"THES49063"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Drawing","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":"55.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"70","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'Top or Low (?) of Moomtaz Muhul Begums Tomb'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Inscribed in front in pencil:"}],"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, Mapin Publishing, 1992 139 p. ISBN 0944142303"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[{"text":"Taj Mahal","id":"x34886"}],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Shah Jahan","id":"N818"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"Architecture, Mughal","id":"x31032"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["AL.9232O"],"accessionNumberNum":"9232","accessionNumberPrefix":"AL","accessionYear":null,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"Previous number","id":"THES51695"},"number":"9232"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-11-10","recordCreationDate":"1999-12-15","availableToBook":false}}