Small bouquet of pink, yellow, orange flowers with green leaves against gold background. Elaborate yellow floral border.

Most art work from the period when the Mughals ruled India (1525-1858) includes floral designs. Mughal conqueror Babur created many beautiful gardens. Gardens are closely related to the concept of paradise, which the Quran describes as a wet, shady, spacious and beautiful garden. Paradise is formal in character and includes not only an abundance of flowering and fruit-laden trees, but also shimmering fountains and rivers. Painting in the period of Shah Jahan (1592-1666) were well known for their floral margins. They were botanically accurate but their subject matter was narrow in range. Trade between India and Europe also contributed. Painted cottons (chintz) with their brilliant colors, exuberant floral patterns, and fast dyes were popular in 17th- and 18th-century Europe.