This fountain from an early-seventeenth-century Deccani palace garden is a rare survivor of early Indian Islamic garden architecture and also of the monumental metalworking tradition known chiefly from representations in paintings and cannons. The fountain closely parallels Deccani architecture, whose turban-topped minarets, corner pillars, ornamental finials, and staggered pavilions display similar voluptuous and organic forms.
Although the fountain was produced in an Islamic courtly setting, specific components, such as the hourglass form derived from ancient Hindu lotus bell-shaped capitals and the lion mask ('kirtimukha') on the spout, can be traced to Hindu sources. These combined motifs are representative of the rich mix of traditions in the Deccan.
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<P>This fountain from an early-seventeenth-century Deccani palace garden is a rare survivor of early Indian Islamic garden architecture and also of the monumental metalworking tradition known chiefly from representations in paintings and cannons. The fountain closely parallels Deccani architecture, whose turban-topped minarets, corner pillars, ornamental finials, and staggered pavilions display similar voluptuous and organic forms.</P> <P>Although the fountain was produced in an Islamic courtly setting, specific components, such as the hourglass form derived from ancient Hindu lotus bell-shaped capitals and the lion mask ('kirtimukha') on the spout, can be traced to Hindu sources. These combined motifs are representative of the rich mix of traditions in the Deccan.</P>
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