‘View of the Great Iman Barra and the Roome Durwaza’, Lucknow (litho)

‘View of the Great Iman Barra and the Roome Durwaza’, Lucknow. Lithograph from ‘General Views and Special Points of Interest of the City of Lucknow’, a series of 27 coloured lithographs by R M Bryson, E Walker, F Jones after Lieutenant-Colonel D S Dodgson, published by Day and Son, 1 September 1860. The Great Imambara complex was built by Nawab Asaf ud-Daula (r. 1775-1797) for Shi’ite religious meetings in 1784. It included the Great Mosque, the great hall (or Bara Imambara), courtyards and gateways. It was an attempt by the nawab to imitate and surpass the Mughal palace complexes of Delhi and elsewhere and was built as part of a famine relief programme.