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The spectacular achievements of Maharaja Ranjit Singh were not only in building an Empire in Northern India in one generation, but found expression in his patronage of the arts in a manner unique for a practical genius. He had the good sense to use paintings as presents in diplomacy. He got built baradaris and palaces in the traditional Mughal style and had forts built for security, added various structures to the Golden Temple at Amritsar, had created Rambaugh gardens and encouraged all the traditional crafts...He welcomed foreign artists and creative men and women to his court. And a creative synthesis between the Western and Indian viewpoints was achieved in a unique style of the the short-lived Empire. - from the book's dust jacket
