The Royal Palaces of India

Michell, George

ISBN 10: 0500341273 / ISBN 13: 9780500341278

Editore: Thames & Hudson, 1994

The book is in good condition with all pages and cover intact, including the dust jacket if originally issued. The spine may show light wear. Pages may contain some notes or highlighting, and there might be a "From the library of" label. Boxed set packaging, shrink wrap, or included media like CDs may be missing. Codice articolo BSM.VJA1

Riassunto:

As early as the fourteenth century, stories glorifying the exotic palaces of Indian rulers began to circulate in the West, stories which closer acquaintance only confirmed. Even today, they are magical places - small towns rather than single buildings, in which the Hindu and Muslim rulers of the subcontinent dispensed their laws and enjoyed their wealth.
The beauty and atmosphere of these palaces is displayed here in Antonio Martinelli's exceptional color photographs, composed with the eye of a painter and a trained architect who enjoyed unrivaled access to the buildings. George Michell, a recognized authority on Indian architecture and art, tells the story of the palaces. He evokes life within these complexes and describes their many elements: defenses, spacious audience halls and courtyards, temples and mosques, private apartments and service quarters.
At the heart of the book are the palaces themselves. The oldest surviving are those erected by the Muslim conquerors who swept down through the country from the 12th century onwards, notably at Mandu and Bidar. In the north, the Mughals built vast imperial palace-cities at Fatehpur Sikri, Agra and Delhi. The Hindu Rajputs in Central and Western India, where many ruling families have lasted into the modern era, created citadels that are comparatively well preserved - as at Gwalior, Udaipur and Amber. Southern India, another Hindu realm, offers a complete contrast in forms, with the towers of Chandragiri and the breezy timber halls of Padmanabhapuram. Finally, there are the lavish palaces built in the era of British domination, such as Mysore, Baroda and Morvi, some Indian in character, others clothed in dazzling Art Deco.
These fascinating edifices are receiving increasing numbers of visitors each year, yet there has been no in-depth survey of them since 1925. Here is a superb record of the palaces, living witnesses to a regal aspiration to recreate heaven on earth.

Product Description: Book by Michell George

Dati bibliografici

Titolo: The Royal Palaces of India
Casa editrice: Thames & Hudson
Data di pubblicazione: 1994
Legatura: Rilegato
Condizione: good