Abstract
This research unfolds the origin, style and materials of Pietra-dura, and its evolution in the subcontinent under the
Mughals. This decorative artform has been considered as the most astonishing feature of the Mughal architecture of
the seventeenth century that was started by talented empress Noor Jahan and attained its zenith under the keen
interest of Shahjahan. This paper investigates the earliest patterns of Pietra-Dura, adopted at the Tomb of Itimad
al-Daula. It further explores the evolution of this genre at a later period of Shah Jahan when he used it with
elegance at the Mausoleum of Jahangir, Taj Mahal, Rang Mahal and Khas Mahal at Red Fort Delhi, Diwan-i Khas
at Agra Fort, and Naulakha Pavilion with Shish Mahal at Lahore Fort. The different materials and the intricate
designs of Pietra-dura have also been discussed in this paper, which tries to find out indigenized variations of this
unique art of ornamentation.
Nadeem Alam. (2022) The Art of Pietra-dura during the 17th Century Mughal Era: From Early Patterns by Noorjahan to the Elegance under Shahjahan, Journal of the Research Society of Pakistan, volume 59, issue 3.
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