'Abdullah Khan Uzbeg
Painting
ca. 1618 (made)
ca. 1618 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This portrait depicts the Central Asian ruler Abdullah Khan Uzbeg of Bukhara with his falconer. The ascription in the lower border states that it was done by 'Nadir az-Zaman', referring to the leading court artist Abu'l Hasan. The emperor Jahangir (r. 1605-1627) conferred upon the artist the title which means 'Wonder of the Age'. Abu'l Hasan may have adapted this likeness of a man he had never met from an earlier Iranian portrait.
Several versions of the painting are known. This one was mounted within floral borders on one side of a folio for an album, now dispersed, conventionally known as the Minto Album. The other side of the folio (IM.20a-1925) has a panel of illuminated calligraphy with very fine borders decorated with gold painting on an indigo ground.
Several versions of the painting are known. This one was mounted within floral borders on one side of a folio for an album, now dispersed, conventionally known as the Minto Album. The other side of the folio (IM.20a-1925) has a panel of illuminated calligraphy with very fine borders decorated with gold painting on an indigo ground.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | 'Abdullah Khan Uzbeg (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Painted in opaque watercolour and gold on paper |
| Brief description | Painting, portrait of 'Abdullah Khan Uzbeg hawking, by Abu'l Hasan, opaque watercolour and gold on paper, Mughal, ca. 1618 |
| Physical description | Painting, opaque watercolour and gold on paper, depicting 'Abdullah Khan Uzbek hawking, near Samarkand. Abdullah Khan II of the Shaybanid dynasty ruled Mavera an-Nahr from his capital at Bukhara from 1583-1598. He is attended by a hawker with a hooded bird and on his saddle is a hawker's drum. |
| Dimensions |
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| Content description | 'Abdullah Khan Uzbeg hawking near Samarkand. |
| Style | |
| Marks and inscriptions | shabih-e abdullah khan uzbek, amal-e nader az-zaman
|
| Gallery label | ABDULLAH KHAN UZBEK
Opaque watercolour and gold on paper
Mughal, by Abu’l Hasan
c. 1618, the borders
c. 1650
IM.20-1925
From the Minto Album
Persian inscriptions identify the rider as Abdullah Khan Uzbek, the ruler of Samarqand, and the artist as Nader az-zaman, or ‘Wonder of the Age’. Jahangir gave this title to Abu’l Hasan, one of his two greatest artists. Abdullah Khan Uzbek had never visited the Mughal court, so the artist had to rely on descriptions. The painting was later extended at top and bottom, and given new floral borders for inclusion in an album of Shah Jahan.(27/9/2013) |
| Object history | From the Minto album |
| Production | Likeness of 'Abdullah Khan Uzbeg, work of Nadir uz-Zaman' Mughal |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | This portrait depicts the Central Asian ruler Abdullah Khan Uzbeg of Bukhara with his falconer. The ascription in the lower border states that it was done by 'Nadir az-Zaman', referring to the leading court artist Abu'l Hasan. The emperor Jahangir (r. 1605-1627) conferred upon the artist the title which means 'Wonder of the Age'. Abu'l Hasan may have adapted this likeness of a man he had never met from an earlier Iranian portrait. Several versions of the painting are known. This one was mounted within floral borders on one side of a folio for an album, now dispersed, conventionally known as the Minto Album. The other side of the folio (IM.20a-1925) has a panel of illuminated calligraphy with very fine borders decorated with gold painting on an indigo ground. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | IM.20-1925 |
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| Record created | June 25, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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