1883 Reclus print TAJ MAHAL, AGRA, INDIA (#33)

Description: Reclus08_33 1883 Reclus print TAJ MAHAL, AGRA, INDIA (#33) Nice print titled Agra - le Tadj Mahal, from wood engraving with fine detail and clear impression, nice hand coloring, approx. page size is 26.5 x 18 cm, approx. image size is 19 x 13 cm. From La Nouvelle Géographie universelle, la terre et les hommes, 19 vol., 1875-94 (in English: The Earth and Its Inhabitants, 1878-94), great work of Elisee Reclus. Taj Mahal also spelled Tadj Mahall, mausoleum complex in Agra, northern India, on the southern bank of the Yamuna (Jumna) River. In its harmonious proportions and its fluid incorporation of decorative elements, the Taj Mahal is distinguished as the finest example of Mughal architecture, a blending of Indian, Persian, and Islamic styles. One of the most beautiful structural compositions in the world, the Taj was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1983. It was built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan (reigned 1628–58) to immortalize his favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal (“Chosen One of the Palace”). She died in childbirth in 1631, after having been the emperor's inseparable companion since their marriage in 1612. The name Taj Mahal is a corruption of her title. The plans for the complex have been attributed to various architects of the period, although the chief architect was probably Ustad Ahmad Lahawri, an Indian of Persian descent. The five principal elements of the complex—main gateway, garden, mosque, jawab (literally “answer”; a building mirroring the mosque), and mausoleum (including its four minarets)—were conceived and designed as a unified entity according to the tenets of Mughal building practice, which allowed no subsequent addition or alteration. Building commenced about 1632. More than 20,000 workers were employed from India, Persia, the Ottoman Empire, and Europe to complete the mausoleum itself by about 1638–39; the adjunct buildings were finished by 1643, and decoration work continued until at least 1647. Construction of the 42-acre (17-hectare) complex spanned 22 years at a cost between four and five million rupees. Over the centuries the Taj Mahal has been subject to neglect and decay. A major restoration was carried out at the beginning of the 20th century under the direction of Lord Curzon, then the British viceroy of India. More recently, air pollution caused by emissions from foundries and other nearby factories and exhaust from motor vehicles has damaged the mausoleum, notably its marble facade. A number of steps have been taken to reduce the threat to the monument, among them the closing of some foundries and the installation of pollution-control equipment at others, the creation of a parkland buffer zone around the complex, and the banning of nearby vehicular traffic. A restoration and research program for the Taj Mahal was initiated in 1998. Agra, city, west-central Uttar Pradesh state, north-central India, on the Yamuna (Jumna) River. Founded by Sikandar Lodi in the early 16th century, it was the Mughal capital during some periods of their empire. In the late 18th century the city fell successively to the Jats, the Marathas, the Mughals, and the ruler of Gwalior and, finally, to the British in 1803. It was the capital of Agra (later North-Western) province from 1833 to 1868. Agra is best known as the site of the Taj Mahal (17th century). Other monuments include a 16th-century fort built by the emperor Akbar that contains the 17th-century Pearl Mosque (Moti Masjid), constructed of white marble, and a palace, the Jahangiri Mahal. Also in Agra are the Jami' Masjid, or Great Mosque, and an elegant tomb noted for its architectural style. To the northwest, at Sikandra, is the tomb of Akbar. Agra is a major road and rail junction and a commercial and industrial centre. Agra University (1927) and six of its affiliated colleges are located in the city; the state mental hospital and Dayalbagh, a colony of the Radha Soami sect, are in the suburbs. The region around Agra consists almost entirely of a level plain, with hills in the extreme southwest. The region is watered by the Yamuna River and the Agra Canal; millet, barley, wheat, and cotton are among the crops grown. The deserted Mughal city of Fatehpur Sikri is 23 miles (37 km) southwest of Agra city.

Price: 19.96 USD

Location: Zagreb, HR

End Time: 2024-11-05T08:44:03.000Z

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