Agra. View of the Taj in Front of Nootkan (The Light of the World), Wife of the Emperor Akbar, View from the River
1866
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1866
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
You see the Taj Mahal from the river, its white marble glowing in soft light. A small boat floats in the foreground, and a woman in a red sari stands on the bank—she’s Nootkan, wife of Emperor Akbar. This painting isn’t just a pretty scene. It’s based on a photo taken in the 1860s, before the Taj was restored. The artist, Samuel Bourne, was one of the first photographers to document India’s landmarks, and this work blends painting with early photography. If you like this mix of history and art, look up *The Cleveland Museum of Art* for more works like it.
