The greatest wall you've never heard of: Mesmerising mosaics hidden in Pakistan's Lahore Fort

28 March 2018

In Civilisations: The Triumph of Art Simon Schama marvels at a wall of Lahore Fort in Pakistan. From a distance this 16th Century structure might look dilapidated but close inspection reveals a huge and breathtakingly beautiful mural.

As your eye travels up, the brilliant “pages” swim in and out of vision until they disappear into the great city
Simon Schama

The Picture Wall of Lahore Fort goes up for 17 metres and reaches across 450 metres – making it the biggest mural in the world.

It was commissioned by Mughal Emperor Jahangir in 1624 and constructed using a Persian technique called Kashi Kari. But despite this Middle Eastern influence, Simon Schama sees it as a glorious hybrid. "There are angels from Europe. Chinese dragons even make an appearance. There are royal hunts and epic battles. History, mythology, birds and beasts – the whole world as Jahangir understood it is on display."

Although this work could be seen by all those who passed through the gates of the palace, Schama argues that it couldn't be truly enjoyed because of its massive scale.

Simon Schama contends that, "Despite the sheer boldness of the gesture, the link forged between ruler and subjects, is undermined by vertical remoteness" | Wikimedia Commons © Usman.pg

There are 116 mosiacs in the wall | © Nadeem Khawar / Getty Images

Birds make themselves at home among the art | © Nadeem Khawar / Getty Images

"As your eye travels up, the brilliant 'pages' swim in and out of vision until they disappear into the great city", says Schama. "Ultimately even the experimentally-minded Jahangir couldn’t conceive of public art that was truly accessible to his subjects."