Enacting Aurangzeb’s Darbar in Saxony in 1700 CE

Jutta Jain-Neubauer’s essay traces the remarkable and widespread artistic, economic, and intellectual exchanges between India and Europe during the early modern era. She shows how this fascination with the Orient and especially India and the reign of Aurangzeb (1657–1707 CE) became a model for August the Strong of Saxony (1670–1733) to create and project his and Saxony’s image as a global imperial player. This projection became especially important in the artistic emulation of the Court festivities to celebrate Aurangzeb’s birthday (Darbar) by the Dinglinger brothers. Jain-Neubauer’s project demonstrates the notable transcultural intersection of art and political affirmation between India and Germany during the early modern era.