Opening Keynote for Production, Transmission & Interpretation An interdisciplinary conference on Islamic Art, Architecture and Archaeology

In this inaugural event for Production, Transmission & Interpretation: an interdisciplinary conference on Islamic art, architecture, and archaeology organized by the University of York, UK, Dr Mehreen Chida-Razvi will deliver the Opening Keynote titled China on display: Ming porcelain in Mughal architecture at the Tree House, Berrick Saul Building, Campus West. 

A prestigious luxury good, Chinese porcelain was in great demand across Asia and Europe, including by the great Muslim courts of the early modern era. The Mughals, Safavids, and Ottomans were active participants in the market for porcelain, be it through trade, purchase, or gifting, and the royals and elites amassed impressive collections of these fine objects. Focusing on Mughal royals in the 15th and 16th centuries, this talk will discuss their interest in collecting and displaying such items. From Babur’s (r.1526-30) exhibition of Ming porcelain in a purpose-built hall, to images of blue-and-white ware decorating architectural interiors during Jahangir’s reign (r.1605-27), the decorative aesthetic of Chinese porcelain in Mughal architecture was clearly highly valued. 

Mehreen Chida-Razvi’s expertise is on the art, architecture, and material culture of Mughal South Asia. Her research areas include the intersection of art, architecture, and politics; the architectural patronage of the Empress Nur Jahan; the physical and cultural spaces occupied by women; and European views of the Mughal empire. Her work has centered on the artistic production of the reign of the 4th Mughal emperor, Jahangir (r.1605-27), and she is preparing a monograph on his mausoleum, located in Shahdara, Lahore.

She has published extensively on aspects of Mughal art, architecture, and urbanism, including on Lahore’s Badshahi Masjid, Jahangir’s mausoleum, and images of the Virgin Mary in Jahangiri architecture. Mehreen has further shared her academic expertise with wider audiences through her participation and consultation for documentaries on the Taj Mahal; programming on BBC World Service Radio, BBC2 and BBC4; award-winning podcasts; participation in the Lahore, Jaipur, and Heidelberg Literary Festivals; and as an expert lecturer on cultural tours. 

Mehreen completed an MA in Art History from the Courtauld Institute of Art (2005), a second MA in History of Islamic Art and Archaeology from SOAS, University of London (2006), and her PhD in Art History from SOAS (2012). She is the Deputy Curator of the Khalili Collection of Islamic Art and the In-House Editor for their publication series, is an Associate Editor for the International Journal of Islamic Architecture, and regularly teaches courses and lectures on Islamic and Indo-Islamic art at SOAS, the Courtauld Institute of Art, and the Victoria & Albert Museum.