South Asia · V&A

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The collections from South and South-East Asia comprise nearly 60,000 objects, including about 10,000 textiles and 6,000 paintings covering the Indian subcontinent south of the Himalayas, including India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan. The range of the collection is immense.

The greatest strengths of the collection are in Mughal miniature paintings and decorative arts, especially jades and rock crystal; Indian textiles, including those made for the European and South-East Asian markets; Indian sculpture, especially bronzes; Indian furniture for the Western market; paintings from the Punjab Hill courts; 19th century photographs of India and Burmese decorative arts. Other substantial holdings include jewellery, ceramics, glass, lacquerware, basketry and woodwork from throughout South and South-East Asia and the Himalayas, Tibetan 'tangkas', and Indian film posters and ephemera. The collection of contemporary art from India and Pakistan includes significant works by several major artists.

Explore the Collections

Indian textiles

India's handmade textiles are embedded in every aspect of its identity.

The arts of the Mughal Empire

Discover some of the exquisite art created during the Mughal dynasty

Preparing a Bollywood poster for stretching: ASMR

Step inside the Painting Conservation Studio to see this enormous hand-painted poster be prepared for display

Tippoo's Tiger

This life-sized, semi-automaton of a tiger mauling a man is one of the V&A’s most famous and fascinating objects

Conservation of an Indian jama

Find out how our conservation team have repaired this intricately embellished piece

The art of Bollywood

Changing times in India, as seen through the lens of the film industry

A wine cup for a Mughal emperor

One of the world's most outstanding surviving objects from the court of the Mughal dynasty

Kantha – a South Asian quilting tradition

Discover why this traditional quilting style has become a proud symbol of Bangladeshi culture

Examining jewellery in detail

Jewellery experts examine three spectacular pieces from the Al Thani jewellery collection

Kalighat painting

Discover a unique collection of Indian paintings from the 19th century

Indian embroidery

From plain cotton to iridescent beetle-wing embellishments, explore diverse forms of traditional Indian embroidery

South Asian objects at the V&A: 1880 – 1920

How to build a box for a musical instrument: ASMR

Exploring a one-of-a-kind 17th century Mughal hunting coat

Take an in-depth look at an incredibly rare and exquisite Mughal hunting coat