The Hong Kong Palace Museum unveiled the city's first comprehensive exhibition of Mughal art masterpieces on Wednesday, featuring over 100 precious artifacts from three remarkable Mughal emperors.
Titled “The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: Treasures of the Mughal Court from the Victoria and Albert Museum”, the special exhibition will showcase artworks ranging from paintings to jewellery, architectural fragments, weaponry, textiles, and ceramics.
Claimed to be descended from Genghis Khan, the Mughals stand as one of the most influential dynasties in South Asian history. During its “golden age” between the 1560s and the 1660s, the Mughal rulers were arguably the wealthiest in the early times.
Unlike its London premiere, this only exhibition in Asia starts with an immersive digital installation titled "Taj Mahal: A Love Story in a Majestic Monument", offering visitors a captivating exploration of the beauty and splendor of this magnificent architecture.
Highlights include a casket adorned with mother-of-pearl inlays, shimmering with the iridescent glow, and the nephrite jade pendant inlaid with rubies and emeralds, which is considered to be worn by the emperor himself.
Visitors will also explore cultural exchanges between the Mughal Court and China, such as China's yellow-glazed porcelain dish collected by the Mughal emperor, and the bird-shaped handles of the emperor's wine cup, inspired by the dragon handle design in Chinese jade caps.
At the end of the gallery, visitors can take an interactive personality test to discover which Mughal art pieces best match their personal collection—and receive a souvenir card to remember the experience.
Additionally, this exhibition marks a significant collaborative milestone following the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the HKPM and the Victoria and Albert Museum at the first-ever Hong Kong International Cultural Summit last year.
"Apart from the Taj Mahal, very few people knew anything about Mughal art and design," said Emily Hannam, curator of South Asia of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
She said that it's exciting to be able to share with Hongkongers some of the greatest creations and unveil previously unseen objects on display for the first time.
The special exhibition will be open to the public until February 23 next year, with tickets priced at HK$150 for adults and HK$75 for concessions.
HELEN ZHONG
