Architecture and Art of the Deccan Sultanates: (The New Cambridge History of India)

The Muslim kingdoms of the Deccan plateau flourished from the fourteenth to eighteenth centuries. During this period, the Deccan sultans built palaces, mosques and tombs, and patronised artists who produced paintings and decorative objects. Many of these buildings and works of art still survive as testimony to the sophisticated techniques of their craftsmen. This volume is the first to offer an overall survey of these architectural and artistic traditions and to place them within their historical context. The links which existed between the Deccan and the Middle East, for example, are discernible in Deccani architecture and paintings, and a remarkable collection of photographs, many of which have never been published before, testify to these influences. The book will be a source of inspiration to all those interested in the rich and diverse culture of India, as well as to those concerned with the artistic heritage of the Middle East.

Table of Contents:
Introduction; 1. Historical framework; 2. Forts and palaces; 3. Mosques and tombs; 4. Architectural decoration; 5. Miniature painting: Ahmadnagar and Bijnapur; 6. Miniature painting: Golconda and other centres; 7. Textiles, metalwork and stone objects; 8. Temples; 9. Conclusion.

Review :
' … a book into which you will be drawn - and at some points will almost drown - in the powerfully and sumptuously exotic works of art which are discussed. It would be difficult to imagine two scholars better suited to present the architectural and artistic heritage of this huge region, for George Michell and Mark Zebrowski have made this subject their own.' Richard Blurton, British Museum Magazine 'In this jointly authored work Michell is mainly responsible for the discusiions on architecture, while Zebrowski deals with the visual arts, including the arts of the book and miniature painting as well as metal work and other minor arts. Discussions on these topics are clear and informative and are supposed by illustrations, many in colour.' The Times Higher Education Supplement ' … analyses the architecture and art that flourished in western, central and southern India between the fourteenth and eighteenth centuries. The book's subtitle Architecture and Art of the Deccan Sultanate is misleading because the book also incorporates the artistic creations of several non-Sultanate kingdoms such as the Mughals and the Marathas. The authors have taken a very broad view of both 'architecture' and 'art': 'architecture' includes not only palaces, forts, gateways, tombs, mosques and temples but also the plans and layouts of the urban and semi-urban settlements housing the above buildings. Similarly, 'art' includes within its fold, wall and miniature paintings, painted wall and floor tiles, sculptures and textiles, besides artifacts in stone, wood and metal … The authors have painstakingly visited and photographed the various Sultanate sites and buildings. In addition, they have also identified and examined, for the first time ever, the Sultanate artifacts in the collection of libraries and museums in UK, France, Germany and USA … The most interesting and informative sections of the book are those dealing with the Middle Eastern influences on the art and culture of the Deccan.' Indian Review of Books 'To the non-specialist, even with some knowledge of the art and architecture of the Mughals in North India, the individuality, variety and exuberance of Deccani art and architecture, admirably surveyed in the present handbook, will come as a delightful surprise.' Burlington Magazine 'In this scholarly desert, The Art and Architecture of the Deccan Sultanates in the New Cambridge History of India is a major landmark. It is also one of the most beautifully written works of Indian art history published for many years, combining rigorous scholarship with an aesthetic sensitivity and a feeling for language all too rare in modern academia. One of the authors, Mark Zebrowski, died shortly after finishing it. The power of his prose and the perception of his eye are amply demonstrated by the remarkable chapters he has contributed to this book. As scholars of the period are already discovering, his death has created a gap it will be very difficult to fill.' The Times Literary Supplement