Artwork Page for The Taj Mahal

Details / Information for The Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal

c. 1858–62

Dr. John Murray

(Scottish, 1809–1898)
Culture
England
Medium
albumen print
Measurements
Image: 43.2 x 38.4 cm (17 x 15 1/8 in.)
Credit Line
Mr. and Mrs. Richard W. Whitehill Art Purchase Endowment Fund 2022.10
Public Domain
You can copy, modify, and distribute this work, all without asking permission. Learn more about CMA's Open Access Initiative.
Location
Not on view
Print
?

Did You Know?

The Taj Mahal is a monument to lost love, built by Shah Jahan in 1632–53 to house the tomb of his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal.

Description

This view of the Taj Mahal, shot from the bank of the Yamuna River, offers a dramatic contrast between the seemingly perfect white marble monument in the background and dark, ruined structures in the foreground. It sets the Taj into a broader geographic and cultural context by including nature (the river) and two cultures, one that has crumbled and another that, because it approaches aesthetic perfection, has been carefully preserved.
A horizontally oriented albumen print depicts a landscape where crumbling, pockmarked brick ruins dominate a craggy left bank. Two small figures perch amidst the weathered debris. Further back, the pale Taj Mahal rises with four slender towers, its domes soft against a vast, empty sky. To the right, a wide, hazy river flows toward the horizon, the entire scene cast in quiet sepia tones that evoke a historic atmosphere.

The Taj Mahal

c. 1858–62

Dr. John Murray

(Scottish, 1809–1898)
England

See Also

Visually Similar by AI

Contact Us

The information about this object, including provenance, may not be currently accurate. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please fill out the appropriate request form linked below:

Update or Correct Artwork Information

Imagery or Rights for Non-Open-Access Artworks

Report a Website Issue

Further Questions About This Artwork