This book deals with Indian miniatures, those delightful works of art - chiefly book illustrations and portraits - which came into being under the patronage of the great Mughal emperors, and which form such a rich contribution to the culture of the East. The author deals in particular with the miniatures of the 17 th century, showing how the Mughal miniature developed its own set of rules governing style, rules which were quite different from those that applied in other branches of Indian or Islamic art. It is shown how the various stages of the established style corresponded with the reign of individual emperors, and how the style, the product of the techniques and materials used by the painters, was modified in practice by the collective method peculiar to the Mughal studios. We are given an account of the origins of this fascinating art form, and also an analysis of the reaction of this form to changes in its political and economic environment. The excellent illustrations of important Mughal miniatures are accompanied by full and illuminating notes, and with the scholarly text they constitute one of the best available presentations of this richly interesting period in Eastern art.