Indian Architectural Designs - The Victoria and Albert Colour Books

In 1880, Caspar Purdon Clarke of the South Kensington Museum was sent to India to buy contemporary art manufactures which would remedy the supposed deficiencies of the Indian collections and boost the Indian craft market. He returned two years later, having shipped back no less than 3421 items which included a series of water-colour drawings, from fascinating geometrical patterns to geometrical designs with flowers or rosettes added. Some patterns relate to carpet design or manuscript illustration while others are dominated by vegetal elements from simple leaf forms and wild flights of fancy to sprouting vegetation and floral decoration showing the development of Mughal style...