Pattern and Ornament in the Arts of India

The visual exploration of India’s decorative genius presented here focuses on architecture – forts, palaces, havelis or mansions, tombs, temple and mosques. It concentrates on north-west India, which has an exceptionally rich seam of ornamented architecture – forts and palaces of Rajput and Mughal princes, mansions of Gujarati merchants, and much more. Three elements are essential to the evolution of this ornamentation in carved stone, wood, plaster both moulded and painted, and glass (both coloured and mirrored): the natural world, the materials themselves, and the many hundreds of thousands of artists and craftsmen who have created this generous abundance of work. Henry Wilson examines all in his introductory texts, and displays the results in his remarkable photographs and stencil-like drawings.