Painting
ca. 1615 (made), ca. 1630 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This painting depicts the emperor Shah Jahan (r. 1628-1658) riding on a pale grey horse through a landscape accompanied by his son, Dara Shokuh. Various retainers accompany them on foot. An attribution to the artist Manohar is written in black ink beneath the painting. Manohar was one of the leading artists of Jahangir's reign, and there seems little doubt that the painting is by him and that the original subject was Jahangir, riding with his son Khurram, the future Shah Jahan. Their faces have been replaced by the features of Shah Jahan and his own son, Dara Shokuh, with minuscule inscriptions next to each identifying the portraitist as Murar. Murar's known work falls during the reign of Shah Jahan after his accession in 1628.
The folio which has fine calligraphy on the other side belonged to an album of Shah Jahan that was dismembered at an unknown date, and was consigned with other folios for sale at Sotheby's, London, in 1925. The lot was described as the property of "a Nobleman", who was said at the time to be Lord Minto.
The folio which has fine calligraphy on the other side belonged to an album of Shah Jahan that was dismembered at an unknown date, and was consigned with other folios for sale at Sotheby's, London, in 1925. The lot was described as the property of "a Nobleman", who was said at the time to be Lord Minto.
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Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Painted in opaque watercolour and gold on paper |
| Brief description | Painting of Shah Jahan with his son and a servant, opaque watercolour and gold on paper, faces of Shah Jahan and his son are replacements for the original portaits which were presumably of Jahangir and Shah Jahan as a prince. The overall painting is by Manohar, c. 1610-15, with replacement portraits signed by Murar, and probably done in about 1630. |
| Physical description | Painting, in opaque watercolour and gold on paper, depicting Prince Khurram (later emperor Shah Jahan) riding with one of his sons and retainers. The emperor sits on a pale grey horse riding through a landscape accompanied by his son behind him, also on a horse, and various retainers on foot. The painting has been mounted on an album with floral borders, and has a pale pink border with gold scrolling decoration with the attribution to the artist Manohar in black ink at the bottom. The painting has Manohar's distinctive colour palette, and is in the style of the reign of Jahangir, of whom this must originally have been a portrait. However, the faces of Jahangir and prince have been replaced with those of Shah Jahan and, presumably, his son Dara Shokuh, as shown by minute inscriptions above the brown horse's head and beneath Dara Shokuh's left hand, both naming Murar as the portrait artist. |
| Dimensions |
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| Content description | Shah Jahan riding with one of his sons and retainers. The emperor sits on a pale grey horse riding through a landscape accompanied by his son behind him, also on a horse, and various retainers on foot. |
| Style | |
| Marks and inscriptions | (written on inner pink frame)
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| Gallery label | SHAH JAHAN AND DARA SHOKUH
Opaque water colour and gold on paper
Mughal, by Manohar and Murar
ca. 1615, with faces changed c. 1630
IM.12-1925
The original version of this painting depicted the emperor Jahangir riding, followed by a prince who was presumably the young Shah Jahan. It is attributed in the lower margin to Manohar. For unknown reasons, the faces of both were subsequently changed to those of Shah Jahan and his son, Dara Shokuh. Both these later portraits are signed in minute lettering by Murar, an artist active in Shah Jahan’s reign.
(2008) |
| Object history | The folio was part of a group consigned to auction at Sotheby's, London, in 1925, by "A Nobleman" who was known at the time to be Lord Minto. |
| Production | Composition and figures ca. 1615 with faces of Shah Jahan and his son added in Shah Jahan's reign, when the borders were also added. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | This painting depicts the emperor Shah Jahan (r. 1628-1658) riding on a pale grey horse through a landscape accompanied by his son, Dara Shokuh. Various retainers accompany them on foot. An attribution to the artist Manohar is written in black ink beneath the painting. Manohar was one of the leading artists of Jahangir's reign, and there seems little doubt that the painting is by him and that the original subject was Jahangir, riding with his son Khurram, the future Shah Jahan. Their faces have been replaced by the features of Shah Jahan and his own son, Dara Shokuh, with minuscule inscriptions next to each identifying the portraitist as Murar. Murar's known work falls during the reign of Shah Jahan after his accession in 1628. The folio which has fine calligraphy on the other side belonged to an album of Shah Jahan that was dismembered at an unknown date, and was consigned with other folios for sale at Sotheby's, London, in 1925. The lot was described as the property of "a Nobleman", who was said at the time to be Lord Minto. |
| Associated object | IM.12A-1925 (Verso) |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | IM.12-1925 |
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| Record created | September 18, 2007 |
| Record URL |
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