Shah Jahan
Painting
ca. 1616 (painted)
ca. 1616 (painted)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
This portrait of prince Khurram, the eldest son of the Mughal emperor Jahangir (r. 1605-1627) was almost certainly painted when Jahangir bestowed upon him the title Shah Jahan, meaning 'King of the World'. Shah Jahan retained the title when he succeeded his father as emperor in 1628.
In later years, Shah Jahan added the Persian inscription in black ink in the border, noting that it is 'a good likeness of me in my twenty-fifth year and it is the fine work of Nader al-Zaman [= the leading artist of the reign, Abu'l Hasan]'.
The minute inscription in Nasta'aliq calligraphy in gold beginning on the right of the green ground, under Shah Jahan's hand, and continuing on the left beneath his right elbow may be translated: Blessed likeness of the qibla [the direction of Mecca] and master of mankind / the work of the [artist] born in hereditary palatial service Nadir al-Zaman. The title 'Shah Jahan' is written above his head in gold.
In later years, Shah Jahan added the Persian inscription in black ink in the border, noting that it is 'a good likeness of me in my twenty-fifth year and it is the fine work of Nader al-Zaman [= the leading artist of the reign, Abu'l Hasan]'.
The minute inscription in Nasta'aliq calligraphy in gold beginning on the right of the green ground, under Shah Jahan's hand, and continuing on the left beneath his right elbow may be translated: Blessed likeness of the qibla [the direction of Mecca] and master of mankind / the work of the [artist] born in hereditary palatial service Nadir al-Zaman. The title 'Shah Jahan' is written above his head in gold.
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Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Title | Shah Jahan (generic title) |
Materials and techniques | Painted in opaque watercolour and gold on paper |
Brief description | Painting, portrait of Shah Jahan as a prince, opaque watercolour and gold on paper, by Abu'l Hasan, Mughal, ca. 1616 |
Physical description | Painting, in opaque watercolour and gold on paper, Shah Jahan is depicted as a prince, wearing an orange jama, standing facing right with his face in strict profile and holding up a turban ornament. The deep green background is filled with flowering plants, and the artist's signature is in gold on the left of the prince. Persian verses reserved against a gold ground filled with interlocking lines bearing coloured palmettes and leaves are in narrow borders at left and right. The painting and verses are contained within a frame of gold palmettes on scrollling lines, and the outer borders are filled with flowering plants painted in gold with colours, now very faded. |
Dimensions |
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Content description | Shah Jahan as a prince depicted in his 25th year, wearing an orange jama, standing facing right with his face in strict profile and holding a turban ornament. |
Style | |
Marks and inscriptions | (The attribution by Shah Jahan identifying himself as the subject and Abu'l Hasan as the artist is in black ink beneath the portrait .
The minute Nasta'aliq inscription in gold beginning on the right of the green ground, under Shah Jahan's hand, and continuing on the left beneath his right elbow may be translated: Blessed likeness of the qibla [the direction of Mecca] and master of mankind / the work of the [artist] born in hereditary palatial service Nadir al-Zaman'. The prince's title, Shah Jahan, is written above his head in gold.)
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Object history | The folio is from a group of paintings acquired at auction in 1925 where they were sold as "The Minto Album" and subsequently divided between the Chester Beatty Library, Dublin and the V&A. |
Subjects depicted | |
Summary | This portrait of prince Khurram, the eldest son of the Mughal emperor Jahangir (r. 1605-1627) was almost certainly painted when Jahangir bestowed upon him the title Shah Jahan, meaning 'King of the World'. Shah Jahan retained the title when he succeeded his father as emperor in 1628. In later years, Shah Jahan added the Persian inscription in black ink in the border, noting that it is 'a good likeness of me in my twenty-fifth year and it is the fine work of Nader al-Zaman [= the leading artist of the reign, Abu'l Hasan]'. The minute inscription in Nasta'aliq calligraphy in gold beginning on the right of the green ground, under Shah Jahan's hand, and continuing on the left beneath his right elbow may be translated: Blessed likeness of the qibla [the direction of Mecca] and master of mankind / the work of the [artist] born in hereditary palatial service Nadir al-Zaman. The title 'Shah Jahan' is written above his head in gold. |
Bibliographic references |
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Collection | |
Accession number | IM.14-1925 |
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Record created | December 15, 1999 |
Record URL |
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