Artwork Page for Prince and ascetics, from the Late Shah Jahan Album

Details / Information for Prince and ascetics, from the Late Shah Jahan Album

Prince and ascetics, from the Late Shah Jahan Album

c. 1630
This object has related works. See

attributed to Govardhan

(Indian, active c.1596–1645)
Culture
India, Mughal court, reign of Shah Jahan (1628-1658), Mughal Dynasty (1526-1756)
Medium
Gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper
Measurements
Image: 20.3 x 14.3 cm (8 x 5 5/8 in.); Sheet with border: 37.5 x 25.2 cm (14 3/4 x 9 15/16 in.)
Credit Line
Andrew R. and Martha Holden Jennings Fund 1971.79
Public Domain
You can copy, modify, and distribute this work, all without asking permission. Learn more about CMA's Open Access Initiative.
Location
Not on view
Print
?

Did You Know?

The holy man sits under a tree, an ancient Indian place of honor.

Description

Most paintings in the Late Shah Jahan Album were commissioned specifically for the album, but some older finished works were chosen to be incorporated; they were removed from their original housings and inserted into the new borders. This painting of a Mughal prince visiting a Sufi holy man in his cave dwelling is one example, chosen probably because it underscores the importance of the religious dimension of Mughal life. The conch on the ground before the ascetic is blown at the beginning of prayer, which in the Sufi tradition is often sung to the accompaniment of music. The pair of ducks in the foreground imply the harmonious union of the spiritual and temporal in the Mughal realm. Mendicant Islamic ascetics fill the borders on this page, except for the one noble retainer standing by the prince.
Vertically oriented album page with a central image of three kneeling people with light skin tones. The central person has dark hair pulled back in a green and purple wrap, holding a circular, black disk in their lap and looking to the person on their left with a beard, bald head with long hair extending from the sides, and looking down towards the disk. On the other side, the person plays a string instrument with a circular body and long neck. In the border, people in peach clothing sit and stand interspersed among a gold flower pattern.

Prince and ascetics, from the Late Shah Jahan Album

c. 1630

Govardhan

(Indian, active c.1596–1645)
India, Mughal court, reign of Shah Jahan (1628-1658), Mughal Dynasty (1526-1756)

See Also

Visually Similar by AI

    Shop the CMA Store

    Shop More Art

    Contact Us

    The information about this object, including provenance, may not be currently accurate. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@clevelandart.org.

    To request more information about this object, study images, or bibliography, contact the Ingalls Library Reference Desk.

    All images and data available through Open Access can be downloaded for free. For images not available through Open Access, or any image with a color bar, request a digital file from Image Services.