Women bathing before an architectural panorama

'Women bathing before an architectural panorama’ by the Mughlai artist Fayzullah is a breathtaking work of miniature art. The artwork is a large panorama, taken from the perspective of the inside of an imperial palace, that spans through the palace, into the vast fields outside. Ecstasy is present throughout the palace, with the woman enjoying bathing in the luxurious, crystal clear pool. Courtiers throughout the palace are also in a state of merriment, shown dancing, talking, using musical instruments, and smoking a hookah. The palace itself is the embodiment of royal refinement, built with white marble, exquisitely constructed, painted, and embedded with precious stones. Lush gardens and blooming flowers add to the colourful and dazzling palatial complex. Birds like peacocks, cranes, etc. are perched throughout the palace as well. Beyond the palace walls, we see a large army, made up of musketmen, cavalry, artillery, spearmen, and elephant riders besieging a fort. The warfare is shown with all the pomp, formation, and coordination of late medieval warfare. Even beyond this, we see a vast gray stretching across the panorama. The amount of detail and skill of this work makes it a premier piece among the artworks of Fayzullah. Fayzullah, also known as Faizullah, was one of the members of the Mughal royal atelier, working under the patronage of Aurangzeb, likely from the period of 1730-1765. Fayzullah was situated in Lucknow, which served as the administrative seat of the Mughal Empire during this period. Fayzullah is noted for his mastery of both Mughal and European styles, creating a blend of the two styles in his works. In this work, foreshortening, the European technique of depicting objects farther away as smaller, is employed to create a panorama with a lens-like effect. This is used to create the striking juxtaposition between the blissful, hedonistic palace, and the bloody, violent battlefield, the two different aspects of ruling.