Artwork Description
Purchase The Empresses- H10-2 Nūr Jahān Pop Street Artwork Limited Edition Giclee & Giltter Screenprint Print on Aluminum Sheet by Urban Graffiti Modern Artist Damien Hirst.
2022 Signed & Numbered In Verso on Label Limited Edition of 3041 Artwork Size 39.37x39.37 Giclee & Giltter Screenprint Print on Aluminum Sheet
Drawing inspiration from the multifaceted Mughal empress, Nūr Jahān (1577-1645), the artwork embodies her diverse talents and influence. Though she became Emperor Jahāngīr's 20th wife in 1611, she was never officially an empress. Despite this, Nūr Jahān demonstrated her power by minting coins and issuing royal decrees. Adept in diplomacy, hunting, and advising, she was also a gifted architect. Her design contributions to her parents' tomb in Agra are thought to have inspired the iconic Taj Mahal. The piece titled "Nūr Jahān" showcases intricately symmetrical patterns of single and paired wings in vivid shades of red and black. These wings radiate from the center, extending vertically, horizontally, and diagonally to form mesmerizing kaleidoscopic designs. The central square structure highlights the principal pair of wings, while the surrounding patterns seem to recede, drawing the viewer's attention to the center. This meticulous, layered composition echoes Nūr Jahān's architectural prowess and the magnificent mosaic tiles that grace the Agra tomb. As one contemplates "Nūr Jahān," the artwork appears to transform continuously, unveiling new sequences of extraordinary wing patterns as the viewer's perspective shifts. This is especially evident with the large black and red wing pairs that encircle the composition's outer edges, arranged in an irregular frame. Through this technique, the artist instills a sense of dynamism and life in the otherwise orderly composition, capturing the essence of the butterflies in various stages of flight, much like the multifarious nature of the empress herself.
