Set of with reliefs of monarchs; India, Mughal Empire, 18th century.

Set of with reliefs of monarchs; India, Mughal Empire, XVIII century.
Gilded bronze and polychrome wood.
Presents marks.
Measurements: 25 x 21 cm; 71,5 x 34 cm.
The reliefs represent the emperor Jahangir and the empress Nur Jahan, with inscriptions in Urdu.
This set consists of four gilded bronze reliefs mounted on a richly carved and polychrome wooden frame. Two of them represent the Mughal Emperor Jahangir and Empress Nur Jahan, one of the most emblematic couples in the history of the Mughal Empire. The figures are portrayed half-length, with a refined attention to gesture, courtly attire and symbolic attributes of power, accompanied by inscriptions in Urdu that reinforce their identification and commemorative dimension.
The style fully responds to the late Mughal artistic language, characterized by the synthesis between Indo-Persian traditions and a sensibility increasingly marked by naturalism and individualized portraiture. The faces show serene and restrained features, treated with a soft and precise modeling, while fabrics, jewelry and headdresses are described with almost miniaturist detail, underlining the imperial status of the characters. The choice of gilded bronze brings nobility and durability, while the polychrome wood frame, with exuberant vegetal decoration, creates a chromatic contrast that enhances the reliefs and refers to the decorative taste of palace interiors.
Art played a central role in the Mughal Empire as a tool for political legitimization and cultural projection. Under emperors such as Jahangir, a great patron of the arts, a sophisticated production was encouraged that included painting, architecture, sumptuary objects and official portraits, conceived not only as aesthetic works, but also as visible manifestations of order, prosperity and imperial authority. In this context, representations such as those of Jahangir and Nur Jahan acquired an added symbolic value, reflecting the harmony of power and the importance of the female figure at court.