Not on display

Dara Shikoh

Painting
17th century (made)
Artist/Maker
Chitarman (maker)
Unknown
Place of origin
Mughal Empire (made)

Painting, opaque watercolour and gold on paper, the Mughal prince Dara Shokuh visiting the Sufi saints Mian Mir of Lahore and Mullah Shah of Badakshan. The party is seated on a mat before a simple hut. In the background is a river and a tree. Signed at the bottom Chitarman.

Object details

Categories
Paintings
Royalty
Religion
Islam
Bonita Trust Indian Paintings Cataloguing Project
Object type
Painting
TitleDara Shikoh (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Painted in opaque watercolour and gold on paper
Opaque Watercolour
Paint
Paper
Gold
Painted
Brief description
Painting, prince Dara Shikoh visiting Mian Mir, by Chitarman, opaque watercolour and gold on paper, Mughal, 17th century
Physical description
Painting, opaque watercolour and gold on paper, the Mughal prince Dara Shokuh visiting the Sufi saints Mian Mir of Lahore and Mullah Shah of Badakshan. The party is seated on a mat before a simple hut. In the background is a river and a tree. Signed at the bottom Chitarman.
Content description
Prince Dara Shikoh visits the celebrated saints Mian Mir of Lahore and Mullah Shah of Badakshan. The party is seated on a mat before a simple hut. In the background is a river and a tree.
Style
Mughal
Gallery label
(2008)
DARA SHOKUH
Opaque watercolour and gold on paper
Mughal, by Chitarman
ca. 1650
IM.250-1921

This page demonstrates the composite nature of album pages. The mid-17th century painting depicts the favourite son of Shah Jahan, who was renowned for his spiritual interests and is shown here with a group of holy men. At some point in the 18th century, the picture was remounted and given a new decorative border. The Persian inscription at the top identifies the subject, and notes that the painting was originally in a muraqqa’ (album) of Shah Jahan.

Credit line
Given by Sir Robert Nathan, K.C.S.I., C.I.E
Object history
From the collection of Sir Robert Nathan (1868-1921), purchased from Maulvi Muhammad Hussain, Judge, Small Claims Court, Delhi. Sir Robert Nathan was Private Secretary to the Viceroy of India, Lord Curzon, in 1905; became Chief Secretary to the Government of East Bengal and Assam in 1907, and was Police Commissioner of Dhaka before leaving India in 1914.

Given by Sir Robert Nathan, K.C.S.I., C.I.E. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Museum records (Asia Department registers and/or Central Inventory) as part of a 2023 provenance research project.

R.P. 1921-4451
Subjects depicted
River
Tree
Emperor
Hut
Saints
Dara Shikoh
Collection
South & South East Asia Collection
Accession number
IM.250-1921

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Record createdMay 14, 2008
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O154635/dara-shikoh-painting-chitarman/
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