AlbumsIndian16th century

Portrait of a Mughal Nobleman, folio from the Salim Album

c. 1580-85

Description

Against a minimally-suggested landscape is a Mughal nobleman, distinguished by his pearl earring and fine dress. He wears a green turban, a white robe (jama), a waist sash (patka), a translucent white shawl with a decorated border around one shoulder, and green slippers. Tucked into his waist sash is a large punch dagger (katar) with a blue sheath. The nobleman has a large mustache. On his right thumb he wears an archer’s ring. Archer’s rings were worn to protect the inside of the thumb in Indian archery, as the thumb hooks around the bowstring. However, archer’s rings that were made of precious materials, like jade, were worn to denote one’s status. Pasted above and below the painting are two blocks, each consisting of Persian calligraphy written in nasta‘liq script. The pasted inner border is a blue-dyed paper decorated with gold flowers, which is followed by another border of cream-colored paper decorated with large gold floral and geometric shapes.

Classification

Albums

Medium

Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper

Culture

Indian

Period

Mughal period

Century

16th century

Division

Asian and Mediterranean Art

Department

Department of Islamic & Later Indian Art

Dimensions

image with border: 23.3 x 15 cm (9 3/16 x 5 7/8 in.)

Provenance

Stuart Cary Welch (by 1969 - 2008,) by descent; to his estate (2008-2009,) gift; to Harvard Art Museum. Notes: Object was part of temporary loan to Museum in 1969.