Shangri La

fter a visit to the Taj Mahal in 1935, Doris Duke commissioned a marble bedroom suite composed of doorframes, jalis (lattice screens), and inlaid panels evocative of the techniques and designs of the famous tomb.

Though inspired by Mughal architecture, Duke was not enslaved to it. She explained:

... in my Indian bedroom, carved, cutout marble jalis or screens, which were formerly used by Indian princes to keep their wives from other eyes, have a new purpose: they are not only decorative, but a means of security, for they can be locked without shutting off the air, and when not wanted can be pushed back into the wall.

The Bedroom is dense with collections. Mementos, enameled vessels, gorgeous carpets, and inlaid furniture make Duke’s private space a highly personal one. In keeping with the origin of the marble suite, many portable objects also come from India. They speak of Islamic, Hindu, Jain, Buddhist, and secular arts traditions. As a collector, Duke was neither rigid nor a purist and her bedroom is a celebration of her particular style.

Resources

History of the Taj Mahal from ArchNet

Mughal art at
The Metropolitan Museum of Art

South Asian and Himalayan art at The Freer and Sackler Galleries of the Smithsonian Institution