ANITA CHOWDRY . ART & EDUCATION

GLOBAL ART HISTORY 2025

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Inspiration for All: artists, practitioners, craftspeople, conservators,

students of art history, travellers, readers, thinkers,

and the simply curious.


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    Manuscript: Anwar-i Suhaili - animal fables written and illustrated for Akbar, 1570. SOAS collection, University of London.

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    Copy of  Gulistan of Sa'adi with decorated borders, 1583. Cambridge University Library.

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    Woven border of a floorspread, silk velvet pile on a silver ground, 1640 - 50. V&A Collections.

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    Nephrite jade pen-box with jewelled lid, late 17th century. V&A Collections.

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ALL THINGS MUGHAL


For me, this New Year opens with a Mughal theme, starting with events related to the current special exhibition at the Victoria & Albert Museum in Kensington London, The Great Mughals: Art Architecture and Opulence, which runs until the 5th May 2025.


The exhibition focuses on paintings and the decorative arts made for three great Emperors of the Mughal Dynasty of Northern India, known as "The Great Mughals": Akbar (r. 1556 – 1605), Jahangir  (r. 1605 – 1627), and Shah Jahan (r. 1628 – 1658).

You might enjoy my Blog Review of the Exhibition, and for more background information on the arts of the Great Mughals, read this Curator's Essay on the V&A website.

RESOURCES RELATED TO THE GREAT MUGHALS EXHIBITION

V&A ONLINE COURSE

The V&A Academy Online is presenting an online course to accompany the exhibition, running over 6 weeks on Thursday afternoons, from the 27th February to 3rd April 2025, exploring key themes in Mughal Art and Architecture. 

The course is led by   Susan Stronge, curator of the exhibition, with specialists in specific aspects of Mughal art and design.  I shall be presenting with Susan Stronge on the 27th March, in which we cover the  history and techniques of Mughal painting and illumination.

For more details and registration, go to the V&A website HERE.


CITYLIT IN-PERSON COURSE

Arts of the Empire Builders: Timurids, Safavids and Mughals, 11-week in-person course.

Running on Thursdays, 11.00 am. - 1.00 pm. from the 16th January to the 3rd April 2025

( half term holiday on the 20th Feb.)

Venue:  CityLit Adult Education Institute, 1 – 10 Keeley Street, London WC2B 4BA

For more details and registration, go to the CityLit website  HERE.


V&A "HOW WAS IT MADE" VIDEO

Finally, the V&A commissioned film maker Noemi Varga to make this YouTube video of me demonstrating how mineral pigments were prepared in the the Mughal ateliers for manuscripts and paintings commissioned by the Great Mughals.

 ANITA CHOWDRY IS AN EXPERIENCED ART HISTORY LECTURER,
OFFERING PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS AND COURSES IN SPECIALIST SUBJECTS.
ALSO AVAILABLE FOR PRIVATE HIRE, PLEASE CONTACT ME.

What past students have commented:


"It was outstanding - excellent tutor - so interesting, knowledgeable, engaging".


"The tutor and course were both outstanding".


"The resources were beautiful to look at and  very informative too".


  Available to commission for public or private lectures.

       Subject Areas:

    Islamic Art History

Pigments and Processes

Illumination and Arts of the Book

Art and Design in the Indian Subcontinent

    Synergies between East and West 
     Art and Science


For Current Available Lectures please consult the ARCHIVES

To make an inquiry or discuss a project please get in touch:

via the contact page

E-mail: amchowdry@gmail.com

mobile phone: +44 (0) 7521 897782


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