Imported Chronology

Abstract

From the early seventeenth century onwards, Indian miniatures were highly coveted by European collectors. Shortly after arriving in Europe, they were copied in paintings as well as in drawings and prints. What is peculiar is that almost all the copies had been made in the Northern Netherlands in the period from c. 1600 to 1740 for the Dutch and international art and book market. The circle of collectors, artists and writers who were involved in this process was very close. Investigating their intrinsic motives, one common interest could be traced: far beyond costume or ethnological studies, they used Indian miniatures and their European copies as historical witnesses. With the help of a complete portrait-series of both Mughal emperors and Hindu gods, the calculation of the world’s duration was scrutinised in confrontation with the Biblical chronology.