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Holly Shaffer specializes in 18th and 19th-century art and architecture in South Asia, Britain, and the British Empire. She authored the book Grafted Arts: Art Making Taking Struggle Western India, 1760-1910, which received the American Institute of Indian Studies Edward C. Dimock, Jr. Prize and the Historians British Art Book Award. Her research focuses on the interplay between Maratha military rulers and British East India Company officials, highlighting how they utilized art to engage in diplomacy, assert power, and foster devotion. Shaffer's work introduces the concept of 'graft' to describe the complex and often violent artistic collaborations between India and Britain. In addition to her book, she edited a volume of Ars Orientalis that explores the interconnected practices of graphic arts in Asia and Europe. Currently, she is working on a new project, Belly Empire: Food, Art, Cultivation Taste India Britain, 1750-1850, examining the influence of food on artistic practices during this period. Her teaching encompasses various courses related to South Asian art and architectural history.
Department: Department of Economics