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Photo, Print, Drawing Emperor Aurangzeb at the Siege of Golconda, 1687.

About this Item

Title

  • Emperor Aurangzeb at the Siege of Golconda, 1687.

Summary

  • This gouache painting was created by an unknown Indian artist sometime in the mid-to-late 18th century, but it depicts an earlier event: the siege of the city of Golconde in south-central India by the last great Mughal emperor, Aurangzeb (reigned 1658--1707). Golconde was famous for its fort, palaces, factories, and ingenious water-supply system, as well as the legendary wealth from the city's diamond mine. Aurangzeb was Sunni, while the rulers of the Deccan were Shia who accepted the suzerainity of the shah of Persia and resisted Mughal expansionism. Under the direction of the emperor himself, the city was besieged for eight months. It fell in October 1687 as the result of a bribe. In the foreground of the painting, the aged emperor sits on a litter with attendants, supervising native cavalry and artillery as they attack the walled and fortified city in the background. A breach has been made in the sandstone walls which the Mughal troops are traversing. The painting is from the Anne S.K. Brown Military Collection at the Brown University Library.

Created / Published

  • [place of publication not identified] : [publisher not identified], [1750 to 1790]

Headings

  • -  India--Andhra Pradesh--Golconda
  • -  1687
  • -  Armies in art
  • -  Aurangzeb, Emperor of Hindustan, 1618-1707
  • -  Battles
  • -  Cannons
  • -  Forts and fortifications
  • -  Horseback riding
  • -  Kings and rulers
  • -  Mogul Empire
  • -  Soldiers

Notes

  • -  Title devised, in English, by Library staff.
  • -  Original resource extent: 1 gouache; 23.4 x 32 centimeters.
  • -  Original resource at: Brown University Library.
  • -  Content in Hindi.
  • -  Description based on data extracted from World Digital Library, which may be extracted from partner institutions.

Medium

  • 1 online resource.

Source Collection

  • Anne S.K. Brown Military Collection

Digital Id

Library of Congress Control Number

  • 2021670161

Online Format

  • compressed data
  • image

Additional Metadata Formats

IIIF Presentation Manifest

Rights & Access

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Credit Line: [Original Source citation], World Digital Library

More about Copyright and other Restrictions

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Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

Emperor Aurangzeb at the Siege of Golconda. Golconda India Andhra Pradesh, 1750. [Place of Publication Not Identified: Publisher Not Identified, to 1790] Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2021670161/.

APA citation style:

(1750) Emperor Aurangzeb at the Siege of Golconda. Golconda India Andhra Pradesh, 1750. [Place of Publication Not Identified: Publisher Not Identified, to 1790] [Photograph] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2021670161/.

MLA citation style:

Emperor Aurangzeb at the Siege of Golconda. [Place of Publication Not Identified: Publisher Not Identified, to 1790] Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/2021670161/>.