Small Mosque in the Kaiserbagh (1858): Art, History and Details

Small Mosque in the Kaiserbagh (1858) is in the Cleveland Museum of Art collection. The museum's creator attribution is Felice A. Beato (British, 1832–1909).

The work and its context

The museum's open-access catalogue describes the work:

Built for Wajid Ali Shah (1847–1856), between 1848 to 1850, Kaiserbagh Palace is a fine example of 1800s architecture in Lucknow, northern India. Parts of Kaiserbagh Palace were destroyed during the Indian Rebellion (an uprising against British rule), also known as the First War of Independence in 1857. This photograph captures the small mosque of the palace after the British siege of the city. Mosques are Muslim places of worship, used for five daily prayers, teaching the Qur’an, and community gatherings. The small mosque in the Kaiserbagh complex, however, served primarily the ruler’s family and members of the court.

Object facts

• Title: Small Mosque in the Kaiserbagh
• Date: 1858
• Creator attribution: Felice A. Beato (British, 1832–1909)
• Culture: England, 19th century
• Type: Photograph
• Technique: albumen print
• Dimensions: Image: 25.4 x 30.5 cm (10 x 12 in.)
• Collection: PH - British 19th Century
• Department: Photography
• Accession number: 2019.170.16

A detail from the museum

Felice Beato was a professional travel and war photographer known for his work in the Mediterranean, India, and East Asia.

Collection credit

Severance and Greta Millikin Purchase Fund

View the collection record

See the museum's photographs and full catalogue entry. Catalogue text is reproduced from the Cleveland Museum of Art's open-access data, with HTML formatting removed. This object and its supplied image are designated CC0.