Indian Pietra dura? Global Meets Local, or the Importance of the Terrain in Artistic Innovation

Abstract

The fame of Mughal architecture owes much to the parchīnkārī, or stone inlay work, that adorns its walls. While some specialists have suggested that the technique derived from Florentine pietra dura, others have argued in favour of an indigenous tradition of stone inlay. Drawing on architectural surveys of Western India, this article focuses on the formation phase of early modern South Asian inlay works. In order to get away from simplistic heroic invention narratives, it looks at technical characteristics, entangled encounters, and complex milieus of artistic production. A discussion of potential ‘studios’, cross-pollination, mimetics, and affordance leads to the re-evaluation of existing skills as an essential breeding ground, or terrain, for innovation.

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