Treasury of the World Jeweled Arts of India in the Age of the Mughals

Manuel Keene, Salam Kaoukji

Jewelry as an art form in Mughal India has probably never been surpassed by any other civilization in the history of the world.

This full-color presentation of its fabulously varied achievements, with over 300 specially taken photographs, accompanies the major international exhibition of the same title. The pieces range from rings, necklaces, and other body ornaments to astonishingly detailed jeweled work on objects as diverse as boxes, flasks, bowls, and daggers. They are presented and analyzed here in themes ranging from creative variations in stone settings, precious-metal inlay in hardstones, and minutely detailed relief decoration in hammered metals to engraved gold-backed jewels, enameling, gold-embellished steel, relief-carved ornament, and inscribed royal gemstones. The result is a visual feast of almost unbelievable richness, gathered together in this book for the first time.

Contributors

Manuel Keene

Author

Manuel Keene is the curator of the al-Sabah Collection in Kuwait, one of the most important focuses for the study of the Islamic arts in the world. His publications include (with Marilyn Jenkins) Islamic Jewelry in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Salam Kaoukji

Author

Salam Kaoukji is curator and collection manager of The al-Sabah Collection, Kuwait, and aneditor of Thames & Hudson's long-running and acclaimed series of catalogs. Her previous books include Precious Indian Weapons and Other Princely Accoutrements and Treasury of the World: Jeweled Arts of India in the Age of the Mughals (with Manuel Keene).