The Art of Cloth in Mughal India
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A richly illustrated history of textiles in the Mughal Empire
In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, a vast array of textiles circulated throughout the Mughal Empire. Made from rare fibers and crafted using virtuosic techniques, these exquisite objects animated early modern experience, from the intimate, sensory pleasure of garments to the monumentality of imperial tents. The Art of Cloth in Mughal India tells the story of textiles crafted and collected across South Asia and beyond, illuminating how cloth participated in political negotiations, social conversations, and the shared seasonal rhythms of the year.
Drawing on small-scale paintings, popular poetry, chronicle histories, and royal inventory records, Sylvia Houghteling charts the travels of textiles from the Mughal imperial court to the kingdoms of Rajasthan, the Deccan sultanates, and the British Isles. She shows how the “art of cloth” encompassed both the making of textiles as well as their creative uses. Houghteling asks what cloth made its wearers feel, how it acted in space, and what images and memories it conjured in the mind. She reveals how woven objects began to evoke the natural environment, convey political and personal meaning, and span the distance between faraway people and places.
Beautifully illustrated, The Art of Cloth in Mughal India offers an incomparable account of the aesthetics and techniques of cloth and cloth making and the ways that textiles shaped the social, political, religious, and aesthetic life of early modern South Asia.
Important Notice: Temporary Suspension of U.S. Shipping
We are currently updating our shipping processes to comply with new U.S. import regulations. As a result, we are temporarily pausing all orders to the United States.
Subscriptions: If you have taken out a subscription, we currently anticipate that you will receive your upcoming titles as usual. If this changes, we will contact you directly via email.
We apologise for any inconvenience and thank you for your understanding. Please check back here for updates on when U.S. shipping will resume.
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*does not include custom prints or custom clothing.
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Due to the new EU Regulation 2023/988 (GPSR), not all of our products will be available for you to order yet, we are working on rolling out a wider product range.
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| Airmail | £ 15 | £ 25 | £ 36 | £ 45 | Usually 2 - 4 weeks |
Rest of the World orders
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| Airmail | £ 20 | £ 30 | £ 40 | £ 50 | Usually 2 - 4 weeks |
EU and Europe orders
Due to the new EU Regulation 2023/988 (GPSR), we are temporarily pausing shipments to Europe, including the Republic of Ireland. We understand this may be disappointing, and we are working to resume our services as soon as possible. Please check this page for updates.
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