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Secondary sourceSculpturec. 1700

Throne of Aurangzeb (Hofstaat zu Delhi)

Johann Melchior Dinglinger · c. 1700

A jewelled European diorama made around 1700 by Johann Melchior Dinglinger, imagining the Mughal court of Aurangzeb.

A European imagining of Aurangzeb's court, reflecting his reputation for wealth and splendor abroad during his reign.

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A gold and jewel-encrusted tableau of a miniature Mughal court on an octagonal marble table, with a central golden throne pavilion, arcades, many small enamelled figures, and an umbrella-shaped canopy, shown in dark museum lighting.
Johann Melchior Dinglinger, 'Hofstaat zu Delhi' (Court at Delhi), c. 1700. Green Vault, Dresden.

About this source

What it is

This gold and jewel-encrusted tableau, called the 'Court at Delhi,' was made around 1700 by the goldsmith Johann Melchior Dinglinger for Augustus the Strong. It depicts a miniature Mughal court and embassies during Aurangzeb's reign, and is held in the Green Vault in Dresden.

Why it matters

This object was not made in the Mughal Empire but in Europe, by a German goldsmith working for a European ruler. It shows how Europeans imagined the fabulous wealth of Aurangzeb's court during his lifetime, even though they had not necessarily seen it themselves. It tells us more about European fascination with Mughal splendor than about the actual Mughal court.

Look closer

  • Who made this object, and for whom?
  • What does the amount of gold and jewels suggest about European ideas of Mughal wealth?
  • Why is it important to know this was made in Europe rather than in India?

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