This scene, probably done between about 1615 and 1618, depicts the submission of the ruler of Mewar in Rajasthan to Shah Jahan, the son of the reigning Mughal emperor Jahangir (r. 1605-1627). The ruler, Rana Amar Singh, had long held out against the Mughal forces but after a lengthy campaign directed by Shah Jahan was forced to surrender in 1614. The artist, Nanha, has included himself kneeling at the right of the scene, sketching a portrait of the Rana. The picture was made to illustrate the Jahangirnama ("Book of Jahangir"), the memoirs written in Persian by Jahangir, as indicated by the catchword isolated against the white muslin jama of the man depicted in the bottom left hand corner, which would be repeated as the first word of the following page. Although Jahangir intended to have various illustrated copies made of his book, none are known to survive.
Physical description
Prince Khurram is at the centre of the composition, kneeling on a rectangular throne beneath a red and yellow canopy within an enclosure of red qanats. The bare-footed Rana bows submissively before the prince, touching his knees as Mughal and Mewar nobles watch.Facing the Rana, kneeling on the ground to the right, the artist Nanha may be seen. In the foreground, outside the qanats, are four musicians on the left and an elephant with his rider on the right. Mountains fill the background, with a strip of blue sky above.
Place of Origin
India (possibly, made)
Pakistan (possibly, made)
Date
ca. 1618 (painted)
Artist/maker
Nanha (painter (artist))
Materials and Techniques
Opaque watercolour and gold on paper
Dimensions
Height: 31.3 cm, Width: 20.1 cm
Object history note
A drawing of the same scene is in the Chester Beatty Library: published in colour in Elaine Wright, Muraqqa', Art Services International, 2008, cat. 25, pp. 260-1 and dated to ca. 1620-8. A later version (ca. 1640) was made for inclusion in the Padshahnama, now in Windsor Castle: see Elaine Wright, Muraqqa', p. 263 for illustration.
Jackson, Anna and Jaffer, Amin (eds), with Deepika Ahlawat. Maharaja : the splendour of India's royal courts. London, V&A Publishing, 2009. ISBN.9781851775736 (hbk.), ISBN.1851775730 (hbk.).
Descriptive line
The submission of Rana Amar Singh to Shah Jahan in 1614. Mughal, c. 1615-1618.
Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no)
Swallow, Deborah and John Guy eds. Arts of India: 1550-1900. text by Rosemary Crill, John Guy, Veronica Murphy, Susan Stronge and Deborah Swallow. London : V&A Publications, 1990. 240 p., ill. ISBN 1851770224, pp.78/9, no.53.
Susan Stronge, Painting for the Mughal Emperor. The art of the book 1560-1650, V&A Publications, London 2002, plates 89 and 90 (detail depicting Nanha), pp. 124-125.
Materials
Paper; Gold; Opaque watercolour
Subjects depicted
Titles, the 'Jahangirnama'; Ceremonies, Submissions; Maharana of Mewar; Prince Khurram
Categories
Illustration; Paintings
Collection code
SSEA
