DrawingsMughal16th-17th century

Satirical Portrait of Four Ascetics

c. 1600

Description

Four ascetics of various ages are gathered around a tree in this drawing. Two accomplished yogis occupy the center of the composition, a bearded man with lengthy toenails and fingernails in deep concentration, and a younger man with elegant drapery who delicately fingers his prayer beads. They are attended by younger disciples with shaved heads that may indicate recent vows of renunciation. The acolytes' swollen, breath-filled bellies suggest the practice of yoga.

Classification

Drawings

Medium

Gray-black ink , watercolor and gold over traces of charcoal on off-white paper

Culture

Mughal

Period

Mughal period

Century

16th-17th century

Division

Asian and Mediterranean Art

Department

Department of Islamic & Later Indian Art

Dimensions

21.7 x 20.2 cm (8 9/16 x 7 15/16 in.)

Provenance

Stuart Cary Welch (by 1983 - 2008,) by descent; to his estate (2008-2009,) gift; to Harvard Art Museum. Notes: Object was part of long-term loan to Museum in 1983.

Related Artworks

Drawings

Venetian Scene

John Singer Sargent, 19th-20th century

Graphite on off-white wove paper

19th-20th centuryAmerican

Drawings

Untitled (bleed-through of previous page, left page); Untitled (pool amidst landscape, right page)

Otto Piene, 1984

Colored marker on paper

20th centuryGerman

Drawings

Shepherds and Sheep before a Rock

Esaias van de Velde, c. 1615-16

Brown ink on white antique laid paper, prepared with red chalk wash, laid down on antique laid paper

17th centuryDutch

Drawings

Flying Figures, for "Fairies...;" verso: Running and Flying Figures

Washington Allston, 1829 - 1833

Black ink on off-white laid paper

19th centuryAmerican

Drawings

Plan of Arena Chapel, Padua, after Giotto; verso: Copies after Giotto

Lewis W. Rubenstein, 1931 - 1932

Black ink and graphite on cream wove paper; verso: graphite, black ink, watercolor

20th centuryAmerican

Drawings

How La Beale Isoud Nursed Sir Tristram; verso: sketch or pen scratchings

Aubrey Vincent Beardsley, 1893

Black ink and graphite on off-white wove paper; verso: black ink

19th centuryBritish

Drawings

Sailboat "Niobe"

Lyonel Feininger, 8/14/1929

Graphite on off-white wove paper

20th centuryGerman

Drawings

Untitled [Head of a Man]

Lyonel Feininger, undated

Graphite on paper

20th centuryGerman?

Drawings

Head of a Child

Albrecht Dürer, 15th-16th century

Black chalk on blue-gray prepared antique laid paper, laid down

15th-16th centuryGerman

Drawings

Christ

Eustache Le Sueur, c. 1646

Black and white chalk on tan antique laid paper, framing lines in graphite, laid down on cream antique laid paper, laid down on cream card, extended at top and bottom

17th centuryFrench

Drawings

Untitled [Apse of Church]

Lyonel Feininger, 8/16/1921

Black crayon on paper

20th centuryGerman

Drawings

Design of Flowers and Birds

Unidentified Artist, 19th-20th century

Watercolor on beige wove paper

19th-20th centurySwedish