The Art of Portraits on Bronze Plates in the Kingdom of Oudh during the 13th Century AH / 19th Century AD.

This paper examines portraits on bronze plates of Mughal emperors and Nawabs of Oudh in ‎Uttar Pradesh in North India has long been known for its rich artistic heritage, with artists ‎and artisans from various trades, especially in the field of metal arts. The artisans are known ‎for their skill in metalworking, especially for producing various moulds and methods of ‎engraving decorative elements on metals. ‎Despite their importance in the study of portraits on bronze plates, these portraits have not ‎received due attention from scholars and are now being studied for the first time. The study ‎highlights the artistic styles and suggests the period and place of production by analysing ‎inscriptions. It illustrates the importance of analysing the elements to determine the date and ‎place of production, as well as the reasons for depicting the late Mughal emperors at that ‎time. It also emphasises the significance and status of the Mughal emperors even centuries ‎after their death. The paper comprises an introduction and five themes: artistic style, ‎engraving techniques, portraits, and artistic elements. ‎