The Jami Masjid, Lahore

This oval ivory plaque is painted with a view of the Jami Masjid, Lahore. It is part of a set of six plaques representing Mughal monuments and would have originally been hung on a wall. Such sets were produced for the growing number of Europeans in India who wished to acquire high quality souvenirs of their travels. The skilled technique is a legacy of Indian court artists working in miniature.

With the decline of Mughal patronage in the 18th century, miniature painters formerly working for the court began to produce works specifically for the growing number of westerners in the subcontinent. By the mid 19th century, when this piece was painted, this had grown into a substantial souvenir trade.