Artwork Page for Court Lady Pouring Wine (recto); Calligraphy of Lyrical Quatrains (verso)

Details / Information for Court Lady Pouring Wine (recto); Calligraphy of Lyrical Quatrains (verso)

Court Lady Pouring Wine (recto); Calligraphy of Lyrical Quatrains (verso)

c. 1760; borders mid-1700s

Mughal India, probably Lucknow

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Medium
Gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper
Measurements
Page: 30.6 x 25 cm (12 1/16 x 9 13/16 in.)
Credit Line
Gift in honor of Madeline Neves Clapp; Gift of Mrs. Henry White Cannon by exchange; Bequest of Louise T. Cooper; Leonard C. Hanna Jr. Fund; From the Catherine and Ralph Benkaim Collection 2013.348
Public Domain
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Location
Not on view
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Did You Know?

The bird-headed decanter evokes blood rites of kingship in pre-Islamic Iran.

Description

The artist has depicted a glass or crystal duck-headed decanter adorned with a gilded grapevine motif, signaling the contents. The red wine flows from the duck’s mouth into a tiny cup. Such bird-shaped wine vessels are vestiges of the blood sacrifices once part of ancient Persian court rituals. On the verso, floral sprigs illuminate the central calligraphic work, and paired verses have been written in smaller script all around the border. On this page, all the verses are about the beauty of—and longing for—the beloved.
A vertical tempera and ink painting depicts a woman with medium-light skin in profile facing right as she tilts a patterned flask toward a small cup. She wears a translucent green shawl with gold borders and several pearl necklaces. Centered in a gold oval against a dark gray background, the portrait is enclosed by navy and gold rectangular borders on a wide tan paper margin.

Court Lady Pouring Wine (recto); Calligraphy of Lyrical Quatrains (verso)

c. 1760; borders mid-1700s

Mughal India, probably Lucknow

See Also

  • Collection
    Indian
  • Department
    Indian and Southeast Asian Art
  • Type of artwork
    Painting
  • Medium
    Tempera
  • Credit line
    Gift In Honor of Madeline Neves Clapp; Gift of Mrs. Henry White Cannon by Exchange; Bequest of Louise T. Cooper; Leonard C. Hanna Jr. Fund; From the Catherine and Ralph Benkaim Collection

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