ARNOLD, Thomas Walker. Devonport, Plymouth 19.4.1864 — Kensington, London 9.6.1930. Sir. British Historian of Islamic Art. Son of a Devonport businessman, educated at City of London School. Studied Classics and Oriental languages at Cambridge (Magdalene College). From 1888 he taught at Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College (MAO College, future Aligarh Muslim University), and from 1898 Professor of Philosophy at Government College in Lahore, then Dean of Oriental Faculty of Punjab University. In 1904-09 Assistant Librarian in India Office, then Educational Adviser to Indian students in Britain and 1917-20 Adviser to the Secretary of State for India. In 1921-30 Professor of Arabic and Islamic Studies at S.O.A.S. C.I.E. 1912, knighted 1921. Married 1892 Celia Mary Hickson. In India he was a friend of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, and at MAO Muhammad Iqbal was among his students.
Publications: The Court Painters of the Grand Moghuls. Oxford 1921.
– Survivals of Sasanian and Manichaean Art in Persian Painting. 23 p. 17 ill. Oxford 1924.
– The Library of A. Chester Beatty, a Catalogue of the Indian Miniatures. 1-3. L. 1936.
– Much on Near Eastern art and Islamic history, especially Painting in Islam. Oxford 1928.
Sources: *I. Schoukine, RAA 6, 1929-30, 188-190; B.W. Robinson, Encyclop. Iranica 2:5, 1986, 517f. (online 2011); *A. Stein, Proc. Br. Acad. 16, 1930, 439-474; Wikipedia with photo.
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