The Sheesh Mahal
The Ahhichattragarh Fort and Palace Complex at Nagaur in Rajasthan, India is renown for its exquisite complex of painted palaces and gardens. Most of the palaces now visible were built under the patronage of Bakht Singh, who ruled Nagaur from 1725 to 1751. The wall paintings are among the finest examples of 18th century Rajput-Mughal paintings in Rajasthan.
The fort complex has been the subject of major conservation initiatives since the 1990s under the direction of the Mehrangarh Museum Trust (MMT) and His Highness Maharaja Gaj Singh II. In 2005, the Courtauld Institute of Art, funded by the Helen Hamlyn Trust and later, the Getty Conservation Institute, was commissioned to undertake a survey of the fourteen surviving wall painting schemes and begin conservation investigations. The conservation team, led by Stephanie Bogan, Charlotte Martin de Fonjaudran and Sibylla Tringham, prioritized the Sheesh Mahal (or ‘Palace of Mirrors’) as the initial focus for conservation efforts.
The Sheesh Mahal features beautifully polished "araish" plaster work and paintings on both the internal and external walls. The decorative features reflect a celebration of the female world and the function of the palace used particularly during the rainy season. In the vault, women are represented sharing drinks and playing musical instruments amidst swirling monsoon clouds. The walls contain elaborate niches with paintings of dancing women and vases, while the dado level displays the beautiful inlaid mirror work.
The paintings were found to be at high risk of loss as a result of both extreme salt efflorescence and severe plaster detachment. Additionally, they were badly obscured and discolored by dirt and non-original coatings. Conservation treatment of the Sheesh Mahal was completed in 2013 but initiatives continue throughout the complex today with the support of the Leon Levy Foundation.
