In anticipation of International Women’s Day on March 8, curatorial fellow Janet O’Brien will examine how the image of the Virgin Mary, already the most represented woman in western painting, grew in popularity as a subject in Mughal India and Safavid Iran from the late 16th century onward.

Mary is venerated by Muslims as well as Christians. In the Qurʾan, Maryam, mother of Prophet Isa (Jesus), is chosen “over all women of the world.” Mughal and Safavid artists enthusiastically embraced Marian iconography through their engagement with European paintings and prints, but their adaptations were created to carry meaning for local audiences.

Using exquisite examples from our collections, this seminar will explore the motivations behind the rise of Marian imagery in India and Iran. Representations of Mary were utilized at the Mughal court to project the prominence of royal mothers and female lineage as well as its “universal” policy for a religiously diverse empire. In Safavid Iran, these images were patronized by wealthy Armenian merchants and the Christian enclave. The discussion will extend to the evolution in the images’ style and meaning into the 19th century and beyond.