Gallery Talk: A Universal Vision—Creative Synthesis of European Prints and Indian Paintings at the Mughal Court

This event does not require registration; see further details below.

European prints became a key source of inspiration for artists at the courts of Akbar (r. 1556–1605) and Jahangir (r. 1605–27) in northern India. Mughal painters adopted this foreign vocabulary but made it their own by incorporating local style and techniques and by adding iconographic elements that would be meaningful to a pluralistic audience. The result of this innovative synthesis is not merely a Europeanized mode of painting but a vision linked to Akbar’s religious universalism and the global connections of the Mughal court. Curatorial fellow Janet O’Brien will guide visitors through a new installation in Gallery 2400 that features Mughal paintings and drawings that capture this new visual idiom.

This gallery talk is part of our New on View series, highlighting recent gallery installations and presenting new insights into recent acquisitions or old favorites.

Led by:
Janet O’Brien, Calderwood Curatorial Fellow in South Asian and Islamic Art, Division of Asian and Mediterranean Art

Please check in with museum staff at the Visitor Services desk in the Calderwood Courtyard to request to join the gallery talk. Space is limited, and talks are available on a first-come, first-served basis; no registration is required.

The Harvard Art Museums offer free admission every day, Tuesday through Sunday. Please see the museum visit page to learn about our general policies for visiting the museums.

The Harvard Art Museums are committed to accessibility for all visitors. For anyone requiring accessibility accommodations for our programs, please contact us at am_register@harvard.edu at least 48 hours in advance. Please include the name and date of the program in the subject line of your email.