With the rise of individual styles, Jahangir claimed that he was able to recognise any painter's work from merely looking at the faces of subjects depicted in the paintings.

Under the patronage of Emperor Shah Jahan, Jahangir's son and builder of the Taj Mahal, the Mughal fascination with floral imagery and imperial grandeur reached its zenith.

Paintings under Shah Jahan's reign are notably characterised for their formal portraits, courtly scenes and jewel-like qualities. Revealing the expressive achievements of the Imperial atelier, these album folios, displaying both paintings and calligraphy, were mounted on pages with superbly painted borders and then bound with covers of stamped, gilded, painted or lacquered leather.

The exhibition is divided into 10 thematic sections, following an introductory group of Persian manuscripts collected by the Indian Mughal emperors. These manuscripts set the stage for a look at the Mughal dynastic histories and memoirs, and reveal the cultural and historical milieu in which these albums emerged.

An exciting feature of the exhibition are several recto-verso displays of doublesided folios. Other sections of the exhibition are devoted to separate albums, allowing the visitors to view the pages as they would have been viewed by the Mughals themselves.