The Cambridge History of India, Vol. IV: The Mughul Period v4.c23.s4.146

v4.c23.s4.146

This imaginative treatment of the private portions of the fort and of the palaces wherein the emperor took his ease differed, however, from the more sedate character of the official portion where he held durbars and conducted publicly the affairs of state. The Dīwān-i-'Ām or "Hall of Public Audience" is an expansive columned hall of sandstone with its central bay occupied by a large and stately throne of marble carved and inlaid in the manner of the time. The wall at the back of the throne is also embellished with inlaid decoration, in the form of *pietra dura*, but much of this ornamentation differs materially, both in design and technique, from that in any other Mughul building. One scene particularly is a characteristically occidental representation of Orpheus sitting under a tree and fiddling to a circle of listening animals. It has now become clear that this and several of the surrounding panels of birds and foliage were originally fashioned in Italy, and in the course of commercial relations found their way to India to be acquired as objects of art by someone at the Mughul court. The artistic character of these pieces suggested their inclusion in the scheme of decoration at the back of the throne, where, surrounded by other panels of obviously Indian handiwork, their exotic appearance has given rise to some speculation.