The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of December 18, 2025

Horizontally oriented painting depicting two people seated outside, embracing on a floral-patterned blue carpet. A man with medium-light skin tone, grabs and tilts towards him the chin of the woman, with light skin tone and holding a gold cup and vessel. Behind, a person with medium-light skin tone stands looking away to our right. Behind to the left, a tree stands in front of a cloudy, blue sky across which fly a line of insects.

Lovers Embracing

c. 1630

Mughal India

Gum tempera and gold on paper
Image: 14.9 x 10.1 cm (5 7/8 x 4 in.); Overall: 24 x 16.8 cm (9 7/16 x 6 5/8 in.); with mat: 35.5 x 25.4 cm (14 x 10 in.)
Andrew R. and Martha Holden Jennings Fund 1971.91
Location: Not on view

Did You Know?

Erotic metaphors in visual poetry: bees fly to blossoms as rain clouds approach.

Description

The twining and coiling of the patterns on the carpet and large floor cushion mirror the interlaced bodies of the amorous couple. The clinging grapevine also references the wine they share from one cup.

Such a carpet was not to be walked on, so the lovers do not wear shoes. It provides a luxurious furnishing to the intimate outdoor space. Here, the floral patterns evoke the pleasures of paradise. The textile patterns have been rendered with such precision that they appear like colorful enamel work or inlaid jewels. A covered golden box at right contains aromatic betel nut treats (paan) that freshen the breath.
  • ?–1971
    (John D. MacDonald, Manchester, NH, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art)
    1971–
    The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
  • Leach, Linda York. Indian Miniature Paintings and Drawings. Cleveland, OH: Cleveland Museum of Art in cooperation with Indiana University Press, 1986. Mentioned and Reproduced: cat. no. 36
    Tōyō kaiga no seika: tokubetsuten: Kurīvurando Bijutsukan no korekushon kara [東洋絵画の精華: 特别展: クリーヴラント美術館のコレクションから= Highlights of Asian painting from the Cleveland Museum of Art]. Nara, Japan: Nara National Museum, 1998. Mentioned and Reproduced: p. 25, cat. no. 4
  • Carpets and Canopies in Mughal India​ (Indian art rotation). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (March 22-September 8, 2024).
    Art and Stories from Mughal India. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (July 31-October 23, 2016).
    Indian Miniature Rotation (Gallery 115). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (February 20-August 18, 2004).
    Indian Miniature Rotation (Gallery 115). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (February 4-August 5, 2003).
    Highlights of Asian Paintings from The Cleveland Museum of Art. Nara National Museum (organizer) (February 21-March 29, 1998); Suntory Museum of Art (April 28-June 21, 1998).
  • {{cite web|title=Lovers Embracing|url=false|author=|year=c. 1630|access-date=18 December 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1971.91