Indian textiles
India's handmade textiles are embedded in every aspect of its identity.
South Asia
The collections from South and South-East Asia comprise nearly 60,000 objects, including about 10,000 textiles and 6,000 paintings covering the Indian subcontinent south of the Himalayas, including India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan. The range of the collection is immense.
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The greatest strengths of the collection are in Mughal miniature paintings and decorative arts, especially jades and rock crystal; Indian textiles, including those made for the European and South-East Asian markets; Indian sculpture, especially bronzes; Indian furniture for the Western market; paintings from the Punjab Hill courts; 19th century photographs of India and Burmese decorative arts. Other substantial holdings include jewellery, ceramics, glass, lacquerware, basketry and woodwork from throughout South and South-East Asia and the Himalayas, Tibetan 'tangkas', and Indian film posters and ephemera. The collection of contemporary art from India and Pakistan includes significant works by several major artists.
Collection highlights
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Turban ornament, early 18th century, Mughal empire -
Tippoo's Tiger, mechanical organ, about 1793, Mysore, India -
Tea set, by Oomersi Mawji, 1880 – 90, Bhuj, India -
Wine cup of Shah Jahan, 1657, Mughal Empire -
Ikat sari, designed by Neeru Kumar, made for Tulsi, 2013, Odisha, India -
Ewer and lid, 19th century, Bombay, India
Features
The arts of the Mughal Empire
Discover some of the exquisite art created during the Mughal dynasty
Preparing a Bollywood poster for stretching: ASMR
Step inside the Painting Conservation Studio to see this enormous hand-painted poster be prepared for display
Tippoo's Tiger
This life-sized, semi-automaton of a tiger mauling a man is one of the V&A’s most famous and fascinating objects
Conservation of an Indian jama
Find out how our conservation team have repaired this intricately embellished piece
The art of Bollywood
Changing times in India, as seen through the lens of the film industry
The wine cup of Shah Jahan
One of the world's most exquisite surviving objects from the court of the Mughal dynasty
Kantha – a South Asian quilting tradition
Discover why this traditional quilting style has become a proud symbol of Bangladeshi culture
Examining jewellery in detail
Jewellery experts examine three spectacular pieces from the Al Thani jewellery collection
Kalighat painting
Discover a unique collection of Indian paintings from the 19th century
Indian embroidery
From plain cotton to iridescent beetle-wing embellishments, explore diverse forms of traditional Indian embroidery
