The women of Muhammad Shah's harem setting up an encampment in the countryside
Album Page
ca. 1730-1740 (made)
ca. 1730-1740 (made)
| Place of origin |
This painting is included in an album of drawings compiled for Colonel Jean-Baptiste-Joseph Gentil in Faizabad in 1774, but is an earlier work done in the reign of the Mughal emperor Muhammad Shah (r.1719-1748). It depicts an encampment of the women of his court immediately outside the palace. A key supplied by Gentil identifies some of the leading figures: in the foreground, the emperor's mother rides a white bullock. Behind her, the emperor's wife Badshah Begam reclines on cushions smoking a huqqa accompanied by dancers and musicians. She was given the title Malek az-Zamani (Queen of the Age) by her husband on their marriage in 1721. Some of the women of the harem are engaged in erecting scarlet screens (qanats) to conceal them from public view, others play with children, ride on boats on the river, prepare food or dance.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Title | The women of Muhammad Shah's harem setting up an encampment in the countryside (series title) |
| Materials and techniques | Opaque watercolour |
| Brief description | Gentil; Manuscripts, Col J B J Gentil, Faizabad, ca. 1774. Page number 6. The zenana of Muhammad Shah on a visit to the country |
| Physical description | The zenana of Muhammad Shah on a visit to the country. The emperor's mother is riding on a white bullock, the ladies are indulging in various forms of recreation. River and imperial boat in the foreground. Executed in opaque water colour. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | (The album throughout is inscribed with notes relating to each of the illustrations. A list of contents gives Gentil's title and a brief description for each folio. Inscribed inside front cover.) |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | This painting is included in an album of drawings compiled for Colonel Jean-Baptiste-Joseph Gentil in Faizabad in 1774, but is an earlier work done in the reign of the Mughal emperor Muhammad Shah (r.1719-1748). It depicts an encampment of the women of his court immediately outside the palace. A key supplied by Gentil identifies some of the leading figures: in the foreground, the emperor's mother rides a white bullock. Behind her, the emperor's wife Badshah Begam reclines on cushions smoking a huqqa accompanied by dancers and musicians. She was given the title Malek az-Zamani (Queen of the Age) by her husband on their marriage in 1721. Some of the women of the harem are engaged in erecting scarlet screens (qanats) to conceal them from public view, others play with children, ride on boats on the river, prepare food or dance. |
| Bibliographic reference | Archer, Mildred. Company Paintings Indian Paintings of the British period
Victoria and Albert Museum Indian Series London: Victoria and Albert Museum, Mapin Publishing, 1992 119 p. ISBN 0944142303
Chanchal Dadlani, ‘Transporting India. The Gentil Album and Mughal Manuscript Culture’, Art History. 2025, pp. 748-761 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | IS.25:6-1980 |
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| Record created | June 25, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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