This book is a general account of the painting of the period when Tanjavur was under Maratha rule. It was a time of turmoil and change, notable for the strands of many different cultures which met and stimulated art in this small territory. Numerous forms arose, some traditional, others showing the assimilation of contemporary ideas. It was an exotic heterogeneous flowering reflecting the demands of different kinds of patrons and the versatility, skill and open-mindedness of the artists. The painting of this period is dealt with showing its connections to South Indian Art in general and also its responses to the impact of Western ideas. It is a tribute to the people of the South and their traditions that even in a period of comparative instability, wars, famine and confusion there was still a need and a desire for objects of art. The era is characteristically eclectic but its painting mirrors the faith, the values and the requirements of the people. So far the visual arts of this period have not received much attention. It is hoped that this study will lead one to see that art was an important facet of southern culture as a whole

The Muslim kingdoms of the Deccan plateau flourished from the fourteenth to eighteenth centuries. During this period, the Deccan sultans built palaces, mosques and tombs, and patronised artists who produced paintings and decorative objects. Many of these buildings and works of art still survive as testimony to the sophisticated techniques of their craftsmen. This volume is the first to offer an overall survey of these architectural and artistic traditions and to place them within their historical context. The links which existed between the Deccan and the Middle East, for example, are discernible in Deccani architecture and paintings, and a remarkable collection of photographs, many of which have never been published before, testify to these influences. The book will be a source of inspiration to all those interested in the rich and diverse culture of India, as well as to those concerned with the artistic heritage of the Middle East.

This book presents the socio-cultural and historical trajectories of the Deccan plateau as well as the coastal areas of the current states of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Goa. It studies the art of diplomacy by discussing the diplomatic relations between the Marathas and various European companies, as well as the indigenous regional states. The author also probes into the Maratha naval policy, the evolution of a composite Deccani culture and the cultural flux that was taking place within the Maratha country. Through an interdisciplinary lens, the volume examines how caste and gender relations operated, how the idea of dissent was generated as well as the socio-political impact of various linguistic, ethnic and religious groups. Through a study of monuments, sculpture and paintings prevalent in the region, the book also discusses the developments in art and architecture in the Deccan. Rich in archival sources, this book is a must read for scholars and researchers of Indian history, colonial history, South Asian history, Maratha history and history in general.

"The first major scholarly history of the important South Indian mural tradition in the early modern period, and a reconception of their role in negotiating the relationship between art and devotion"--