Started with introducing the dramatic centerpiece of late-Mughal garden pavilion in the

VMFA’s South Asian collection as a fragmentary used to carry lots of weight, the curator

Doctor. Rice brings the magnificent piece into the sight of contemporary art world by

presenting it out of the original context of formal garden setting and apart from the

architecture ensemble. It gives the audience the chance to do a structure analysis by looking

closely to the white marble surfaces and the refined decoration under the distinct context,

differentiating from the original aristocratic garden complex.

Doctor. Rice explained the three kinds of gardens briefly in Mughal India, the palace

garden, garden for pleasure, and the tomb garden. The magnificent rectangular walled garden

was built near riverfront not only to appreciate the beauty of the Mother Nature by including

the river as part of the aesthetics, but also to draw out the “plan of assembly”, which Doctor.

Rice proposes that the physical or three-dimensional representation of the tomb gardens

might be a way for the emperors, especially Akbar, to deifying himself and to build the image

of mystic diagram. He also presents the timeline of Mughal Empire, from early Babur, who

defeated Muslim of Delhi (Sutan), Humayun’s tomb during the great Mughal period, which

the economic changes and artistic innovations took place, to Akbar who built the garden from

the ground, which was unusual for the “City of Victory”. Then Doc. Rice also introduced

Jahangir and his help to build the Shalimar garden along with his love for flowers, as another

sign for the artistic innovation and development. Then it’s Jahangir’s son, Shah Jahan, who

was well-known with the construction for Taj Mahal, the “center of paradise” as Doc. Rice

referred. At last, it’s Aurangzeb, who