Indian Miniature Paintings

from March 10, 2010 to June 6, 2010 François-Mitterrand / François Ier gallery

At BnF, the Department of Prints and Photographs and the Deparment of Manuscripts share an extremely rich collection of Indian miniature paintings dating to the 17th and 18th centuries. This collection that counts several thousand works is still not well known in France. It is the most important one in a country that houses few Indian art collections. The collections were built up during three successive periods corresponding to the relationships between France and India in the late 18th century and early 19th century. The French officers who had initially supported Dupleix, the governor of French Establishments in India, in his ambitious plans, went back home. At the Fall of the Empire, another wave of soldiers eager for adventure offered their services to princes and monarchs from various Indian states. Finally, other works were gathered by collectors during the 19th century. These heterogeneous collections include precious Mughal provincial miniature paintings and other works called « Company paintings » achieved for European officers or members of the East Indian Company, eager to discover Indian customs and traditions.

An exhibition entitled « A la cour du grand Moghol » was formerly organised at BnF in 1986 to pay tribute to the Year of India. 25 years later, some 129 works have been chosen among the most beautiful and rarest ones to be put on display. The exhibition has been organised to mark the publication of the complete inventory of the collections (2,500 works) kept at the Department of Prints and Photographs.