Mughal decorative arts: an introduction

What is the course about?

The decorative arts developed and flourished under the Mughals in distinct ways that have significant visual, cultural and design influence in the twenty-first century. This course will explain the origins of the Mughals and how they consciously developed and sustained a cosmopolitan yet coherent aesthetic vernacular. Jewels and jewellery, hardstones, gold, jade and textiles will be the main focus of this introductory course.

This course includes an off-site visit to a London-based gallery. Details of this gallery visit will be shared during the course.

What will we cover?

- A brief look at early Mughal history.

- An examination of how Timurid, Persianate, Central Asian and indigenous South Asian decorative art traditions were syncretised and refined in the Mughal ateliers.

- A close examination of objects (many of them in British museums including the Victoria and Albert museum) including jewelled objects, hardstones, inscribed jades and some textiles.

What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...

- Have a basic understanding of how the Mughals came to South Asia and the hybrid cultural influences they brought with them.

- Understand how the royal ateliers functioned.

- Identify at least three different kinds of decorative arts and the techniques and designs associated with them.

What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?

This course is suitable for all levels.

You should be able to follow simple written and verbal instructions, demonstrations, hand-outs and health and safety information, and will be invited to take part in group discussion.

How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?

You will be taught in-person with slide presentations and group discussions, including one session in a London-based gallery.

This course meets both at City Lit in the classroom and has session(s) at a museum gallery. Museum/gallery-based courses take place during public access hours. Tutors are not able to control sound levels or behaviours of visitors outside of the course group. Unless you are a wheelchair user, and have confirmed access details with us (as levels of access can vary between galleries), you will need to be able to walk between exhibits and stand for some time while looking at them (you may bring your own portable stool if you have one, but we cannot guarantee access to any gallery stools.) If you feel you may be impacted by these environmental variations, please inform the department on humanities@citylit.ac.uk before the course begins, to discuss reasonable accommodations we can make to assist your learning in the museum space.


Handouts will be provided by your tutor to support your learning on the course; these handouts will be available online/digitally for download via the college’s Google Classroom. You will be sent an invitation to join the Google Classroom within a week of the course start date.

Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?

You might wish to purchase a notebook for taking notes. You might wish to buy some of the books on any reading list provided.

When I've finished, what course can I do next?

The Art and Architecture of Ancient India

Introduction to the Hindu Temple

The Amaravati stupa: an ancient, colonial and contemporary history

Early Buddhist art in South Asi.