Mughal Court Life

Vibrant paintings depicting court scenes, highlighting opulent gardens, figures in traditional attire, and elaborate architectural elements.

Men embarcing by Abu al-Hasan, Watercolor, ink, gold color on paper, circa 1620, 1589-circa 1630, Usa, Washington, D.C., Freer Gallery of Art, 15,4x23,8

"Zal Expounds the Mysteries of the Magi", Folio 87v from the Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Shah Tahmasp. Artist: Painting attributed to 'Abd al-'Aziz (active first half 16th century); Painting attributed to Qadimi (active ca. 1525-65). Author: Abu'l Qasim Firdausi (935-1020). Dimensions: Painting: H. 10 15/16 in. (27.9 cm) W. 7 1/8 in. (18.1 cm)Page: H. 18 1/2 in. (47 cm) W. 12 9/16 in. (31.9 cm)Mat: H. 22 in. (55.9 cm) W. 16 in. (40.6 cm)Frame: H. 23 in. (58.4 cm)W. 17 in. (43.2 cm). Date: ca. 1525.The Shahnama made for the Safavid ruler Shah Tahmasp (r. 1524-76) is the most luxurious sixteenth-century copy of this poem about the legendary kings of Iran. It took more than twenty years to complete and involved two generations of the best Safavid artists, including Qadimi, painter of the scene here, who worked on many projects for Shah Tahmasp. In this painting, the hero Zal seeks advice on his wish to marry Rudaba from the wise Magi, seated at the foot of his throne. Museum: Metr

A Garden Scene, c. 1725, 6 1/4 x 9 1/4 in. (15.88 x 23.5 cm), Opaque watercolor and gold on paper, India, Deccani, A court lady stands under a canopy in a lavish garden, her servant prostrate beside her. The highly stylized and lyrical poses of the figures suggest that this image was not intended as the depiction of an actual event or persons. Rather, it was likely made to set a mood or stir up certain emotions in the viewer. Sets of paintings like this were known as ragamalas, or 'string of melodies,' and each painting in the set would be associated with a specific tune, mood, or time of day.

'King Enthroned with Courtiers'. Iran, 1440s. Dimensions: 10,7x12,1 cm. Museum: State Hermitage, St. Petersburg.

Dhanashri Ragini, Page from a Ragamala Series Indian. Dhanashri Ragini, Page from a Ragamala Series, ca. 1790 or earlier. Opaque watercolor and gold on paper, sheet: 10 x 6 15/16 in. (25.4 x 17.6 cm). In the fifteenth or sixteenth century, a new genre of painting developed that attempted to capture the moods of famous passages of classical music in pictorial vignettes. This painting depicts one of the most common scenarios for ragini paintings: a lonely woman passing time while her beloved is away. Dhanashri is not a well-known ragini, but it seems likely that it was a quiet, melancholy piece, much like this image. The womans solitude is here underscored by the presence of a pair of rabbits, animals that are famous for their fertility. Asian Art ca. 1790 or earlier

Kama Shoots a Love Arrow at Shiva, page from a copy of the Gita-Gauri (Song of Gauri). India; Rajasthan, Mewar. Date: 1670-1685. Dimensions: Image: 23.2 x 19.7 cm (9 1/8 x 7 3/4 in.); Outermost Border: 27.4 x 21.2 cm (10 3/4 x 8 5/16 in.); Paper: 28.9 x 22.6 cm (28.9 x 8 7/8 in.). Opaque watercolor and gold on paper. Origin: India. Museum: The Chicago Art Institute, Chicago, USA.

The farmer, father of the son with the deceitful wife, steals away with her anklet while she is in bed with her lover, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Eighth Night, c. 1560. Mughal India, court of Akbar (reigned 1556-1605). Gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper; overall: 20.3 x 14 cm (8 x 5 1/2 in.); painting only: 10.4 x 10.1 cm (4 1/8 x 4 in.). The unfaithful wife and her lover were discovered by her father-in-law in their rendezvous place. Thinking she was asleep, he took her anklet as evidence of her infidelity, planning to confront her with it later. The lovers, still in bed, were awakened and witnessed him leaving by the gate, holding her anklet. Under the bed are a pitcher and basin for water, a dish of breath-freshening and mildly narcotic pan leaves, along with bottles of perfumes, all the accoutrements for a romantic encounter.

Arghan Div Brings the Chest of Armor to Hamza Indian. Arghan Div Brings the Chest of Armor to Hamza, 1562-1577. Opaque watercolor and gold on cotton, sheet: 31 1/8 x 24 15/16 in. (79.1 x 63.3 cm). The Hamzanama recounts the picturesque exploits of Hamza, the uncle of the Prophet Muhammad. The Mughal emperor Akbar (ruled 1556-1605) ordered his artists to prepare an illustrated copy of the Hamzanama on a scale never seen before: 1,400 paintings on sheets of paper backed with cloth. Literary sources record that though more than fifty painters busied themselves with the colossal undertaking, it took fifteen years to complete. Four of the folios are held by the Brooklyn Museum. This painting depicts the demon Arghan bringing a casket of arms to Hamza. Emerging from the water, here rendered by frothy, curling waves, he presents a seemingly ferocious aspect with his spotted skin, flaming eyes, and sharp fangs projecting from a mouth with a rather frozen grimace. On the shore is Hamza, seated

35mm original

Malkos Raga, Folio from a Ragamala (Garland of Melodies). India, Rajasthan, Sirohi, circa 1675. Drawings; watercolors. Opaque watercolor and gold on paper

Men embarcing by Abu al-Hasan, Watercolor, ink, gold color on paper, circa 1620, 1589-circa 1630, Usa, Washington, D.C., Freer Gallery of Art, 15,4x23,8

Islamic Art. Persian Miniature. Miniatures of the Book, Muraqqa-e-Golshan.

Ramkali Ragini: Folio from a ragamala series (Garland of Musical Modes) ca. 1605-06 India (Rajasthan, Bikaner) The texts related to this ragini tell of a vivacious woman anxiously waiting for her lover, who arrives far too late. The written sources build tension by describing her high spirits and excitement at being near her hero as well as her wish to enchant him through her actions and sentiment. Still, she suspects he has been with another woman, which is dramatized by her gesture of rejection and his posture of apology. As is typical in Rajput painting, emotion is not indicated by facial expressions but rather by gesture and allusion.. Ramkali Ragini: Folio from a ragamala series (Garland of Musical Modes) 37852

Kamod Ragini, anonymous, c. 1690 Indian miniature. drawing Two women are in a dark tinted landscape with trees and rocks, the woman in the middle feeds two peacocks with fruits of the tree; At the bottom of a peripheral pattern of geometric shapes. Around the show a narrow white and a lilac edge and a wide orange -red edge with rounded corners. Sirohi paper brush / brush

Packed Ragini, Anonymous, c. 1620 Indian miniature. drawing In a covered space of a palace, Krishna sits on a roll cushion, a young woman squatting in front of him, both hands stretched against each other; Behind her against the wall a burning oil lamp; Left in front of the wall of the palace three women, the front dances, the middle one plays a drum and the rear holds a bowl, above the wall of the palace a nocturnal starry sky with a lunar moon. Around the show two piping in framework lines, one yellow and the outer, wider red; The dome roof of the palace and the third woman on the left are partly painted over these piping. Mewar paper brush / brush

The House of Bijapur. Artist: Painting by Kamal Muhammad (active 1680s); Painting by Chand Muhammad (active 1680s). Dimensions: Page: H. 16 1/4 in. (41.3 cm)W. 12 13/16 in. (32.5cm)Mat: H. 22 in. (55.9 cm)W. 16 in. (40.6 cm). Date: ca. 1680.This image from Bijapur made for the last of its rulers, Sikandar, shown here as a young boy soon before the fall of the kingdom to Mughal conquerors in 1686, brings together all nine 'Adil Shahi sultans in a dynastic assembly likely inspired by Mughal paintings illustrating the same idea. Distant views of water hint at Bijapur's former vastness, which, at its greatest extent, stretched to include Goa on the Arabian Sea. The key of legitimacy is being handed over by Isma'il, founder of the Safavid dynasty of Iran (here erroneously identified as Shah 'Abbas in a later inscription), to Yusuf, founder of the Bijapur dynasty, symbolizing the unwavering allegiance of the 'Adil Shahi family to the Shi'ite creed. During its golden period under the free-thi

Krishna has destroyed the Wagendemon, Anonymous, c. 1620 Indian miniature. drawing There is a totally destroyed car at a tree, there is a red cloth on the drawbar in which Krishna was put to sleep when the Wagendemon tried to kill him; His mother Yashoda takes him while two shepherds watch. Around the show two wide red piping between which a yellow border with red and white flowers and green leaf vines; Damage on the decorative edge; The leaf is stuck on an underlying piece of paper. Sirohi paper brush / brush

"Rustam Slays the White Elephant", Folio from a Shahnama (Book of Kings). Author: Abu'l Qasim Firdausi (935-1020). Dimensions: 12 5/8 x 8 1/2in. (32.1 x 21.6cm)Dimensions of painting: 9 1/8 x 5 7/8in. (23.2 x 14.9cm). Date: late 19th-early 20th century. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

"Yusuf before the Ladies of Cairo", Folio from Yusuf and Zulaykha second half 16th century. "Yusuf before the Ladies of Cairo", Folio from Yusuf and Zulaykha 452755

Man Making a Net, Tomb of Ipuy. Artist: Norman de Garis Davies (1865-1941). Dimensions: H. 20 cm (7 7/8 in); w. 27 cm (10 5/8 in)scale 1:1. Dynasty: Dynasty 19. Reign: reign of Ramesses II. Date: ca. 1295-1213 B.C.. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Ragini Kanada, Page from a Jaipur Ragamala Set 1745-1770 Rajasthan. Opaque watercolor and gold on paper .

Kurma (Incarnation of Vishnu as a turtle), Anonymous, 1825 - 1875 Indian miniature. drawing Vishnu in his incarnation as a turtle sits on Meru Mountain that serves as a carn stick when churning the ocean of milk. The show is framed by a narrow white piping, around it a wide orange -red decorative border with black framework lines; This leaf is glued on a leaf paper leaf on which a black framework line is drawn in pencil. Jaipur paper brush / brush

Princely Hawking Party. Artist: Attributed to Mirza 'Ali (active ca. 1525-75). Dimensions: H. 18 5/8 in. (47.3 cm)W. 12 3/4 in. (32.4 cm)Mat size: H. 24 in. (61 cm)W. 19 in. (48. 3 cm). Date: ca. 1570.This painting, attributed to Mirza 'Ali, is the left half of a double-page composition (shared with the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston) representing a pause during a hunt. Here, a youth straddling a rock cups the chin of a bare-chested boy whose upper arms are lined with burn marks, indicating that he is a Sufi, or follower of the mystical path, who has burned himself as a sign of his love of God. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA. Author: Attributed to Mirza 'Ali.

The daughter-in-law returns from her misadventure, feigning insanity, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Sixteenth Night, c. 1560. Mughal India, court of Akbar (reigned 1556-1605). Gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper; overall: 20.3 x 14 cm (8 x 5 1/2 in.); painting only: 11.4 x 10.1 cm (4 1/2 x 4 in.).

Shiva a parvati, anonymous, 1810 Indian miniature. drawing Shiva and Parvati outside on a lawn with a cow behind their backs and a rocky landscape in the background. The show is framed by a narrow border in black with a yellow piping and a pink outer edge with red framework lines: both the show and the leaf are badly damaged on the bottom half. Kangra Framework edge: Paper brush

Gunakali Ragini, the Fifth Wife of Malkos Raga, Folio from a Ragamala (Garland of Melodies). India, Madhya Pradesh, Malwa, circa 1660. Drawings; watercolors. Opaque watercolor on paper

Jahangir sitting on a throne, anonymous, 1675 - 1700 drawing. Indian miniature The Mughal Keizer Jahangir (1605-1627) sitting on a throne on a terrace under a canopy. paper. deck paint. gouache (paint) brush

The Fire Ordeal of Siyawush from a Shahnama Manuscript The Fire Ordeal of Siyawush from a Shahnama Manuscript, 16th century. Opaque watercolor and gold on paper, image: 14 3/16 x 17 5/16 in. (36 x 44 cm). Arts of the Islamic World 16th century

Akbar and Jahangir Examine a Ghir Falcon while Prince Khusrau Stands Behind, c. 1602-4. Mughal India. Gum tempera and gold on paper; page: 35.8 x 23.4 cm (14 1/8 x 9 3/16 in.). Emperor Akbar sits against a purple bolster under a canopy looking aged and careworn, probably not long before his death. He examines a trained falcon of the type that the Mughals used in hunting. This falcon appears to be from Akbars son, Prince Salim, who stands before him in a gesture of gift-giving. A stately black antelope, a wild animal now a pet, harnessed and wearing a bell, crouches at the foot of the steps leading up to the canopied platform.

Layla Visiting Majnun in the Desert, page from a copy of the Khamsa of Nizami. Iran. Date: 1501-1600. Dimensions: 13.8 x 6.5 cm (5 1/2 x 2 9/16 in.). Ink and color on paper. Origin: Iran. Museum: The Chicago Art Institute, USA. Author: Islamic.

Vasudeva brings Kritivula to King Kamsa. Draughtsman: anonymous. Dating: c. 1750. Place: Sirohi. Measurements: h 217 mm × w 253 mm. Museum: Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.

Ladies on a Terrace Mughal Style. Ladies on a Terrace, ca. 1700-1710. Opaque watercolor on paper, Sheet: 13 3/4 x 10 1/4 in. (34.9 x 26 cm). Court women were a favorite subject in Indian painting, although few images of upper-class women are actual portrait likenesses. The zenana (women's area of the palace) was the stuff of fantasy for the male artists and patrons of painting: those not privileged to enter the zenana speculated about the delights to be found inside, while the husbandswho were frequently away on military campaignswaxed nostalgic about the happy hours they had spent there. Images of the zenana usually show the denizens whiling away their time in graceful languor, awaiting their husband's return. In this image, the entertainments overlook a Middle Eastern-style garden split into four quadrants by a fountain and water channels. Asian Art ca. 1700-1710

Proshita-patika Nayika Indian. Proshita-patika Nayika, ca. 1800-1820. Opaque watercolor on paper, sheet: 9 5/8 x 5 13/16 in. (24.4 x 14.8 cm). Asian Art ca. 1800-1820

"Khusrau Catches Sight of Shirin Bathing", Folio 50 from a Khamsa (Quintet) of Nizami. Artist: Painting by Shaikh Zada. Author: Nizami (Ilyas Abu Muhammad Nizam al-Din of Ganja) (probably 1141-1217). Calligrapher: Sultan Muhammad Nur (ca. 1472-ca. 1536); Mahmud Muzahhib. Dimensions: Page: H. 12 5/8 in. (32.1 cm) W. 8 3/4 in. (22.2 cm)Mat: H. 19 1/4 in. (48.9 cm) W. 14 1/4 in. (36.2 cm). Date: dated A.H. 931/A.D. 1524-25.One of the five stories related in Nizami's Khamsa (Five Tales) concerns the love affair between the Iranian king Khusrau and the Armenian princess Shirin. This beautifully-detailed painting captures the moment when Khusrau first catches sight of Shirin, bathing in a stream. While the pond has now tarnished to near black, it was originally painting in shining silver, complementing the golden sky above. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Princes with flower branches on a terrace, anonymous, 1790 - 1810 Indian miniature. drawing On a white terrace in front of an open pavilion, there is a group of princes with flower branches in their hand front and behind a frost in the middle that is on a dark red carpet; In front of the middle frost there are bowls with flowers; A pond with fountain and flower beds on either side for the terrace. The show is glued, a framework all around and a white decorative border with golden tifles, around it a plain black border with white framework lines; This leaf is also glued on a piece of beige cardboard on which red and black framework lines form a list. Shorapur paper brush / brush

Prince Mirza Hindal () in a Garden. India, Mughal empire, circa 1600-1610. Drawings; watercolors. Opaque watercolor and gold on paper

Solomon and the Queen of Sheba early 19th century This illustrated folio was probably cut from its original illustrated manuscript as a line of text appears along the bottom edge of the leaf. The image depicts a group of female attendants, musicians, and dancers surrounding a crowned central female figure who kneels on a golden throne. A crowned male figure kneels at the lower left. One attendant on the queen's right holds a traditional axe-shaped fan, while the attendant on her left holds a fan in the shape of a sunburst, often a symbol of imperial power. All the female attendants and musicians wear a striped cap which allows us to date the painting to around 1800. The subject matter of the painting and the manuscript from which it comes cannot be identified.. Solomon and the Queen of Sheba 453285

Asavari Ragini, Fourth Wife of Shri Raga, Folio from a Ragamala (Garland of Melodies). India, Rajasthan, Bundi, circa 1790. Drawings; watercolors. Opaque watercolor, gold, and silver on paper

Radha does not give Krishna his flute back, Chajju (attributed to), 1805 - 1815 Indian miniature. drawing While they were talking, Radha Krishna's whistle took away, so that they can stay in each other's company for a little longer. His boyfriend, a shepherd boy and Radha's girlfriend are watching it. draughtsman: Paharidraughtsman: Chamba paper. gouache (paint) brush

Four figures on a terrace in front of the gate of a palace, Anonymous, 1790 - 1810 Indian miniature. drawing On a terrace in front of a palace there are four figures engaged in discussion, two men speak with each other over the head of a kneeling woman, behind the man on the right is a second woman trying to pull him away. The performance is in the middle of the leaf and covers the width of two columns of text that are located above and below the performance and also on the back of the leaf. Cashmir paper brush / brush

Lady on rock. Draughtsman: anonymous. Dating: 1700 - 1800. Place: Bikaner. Measurements: h 256 mm × w 151 mm; h 351 mm × w 250 mm. Museum: Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.

"Faramarz Encircled While Battling Bahman", Folio 475r from the Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Shah Tahmasp ca. 1530-35 Abu'l Qasim Firdausi Bahman, the son of Isfandiyar, wished to avenge his fathers death by destroying Zabulistan (Sistan) and the remaining family of Rustam. Faramarz, Rustams son, is shown here valiantly defending his homeland, but in the end he lost the battle, his land, and his life. The artist Aqa Mirak painted in the mature Safavid style, characterized here by large‑scale figures set close to the foreground. This style anticipates that of illustrated manuscripts and single‑figure studies of the 1540s and 50s.. "Faramarz Encircled While Battling Bahman", Folio 475r from the Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Shah Tahmasp 452166

Maharana Amar Singh II with Ladies of the Zenana outside the Picture Hall at Rajnagar ca. 1707-8 Attributed to Stipple Master Indian Rajnagar, not far from Udaipur, had a special importance for Amar Singh II and therefore also for his artists. Around the years 1692-98, the Stipple Master served as painter to Prince Amar Singh (the future Maharana Amar Singh II). In this workas in many others by the Stipple MasterAmar Singh II appears naked to the waist, and the painter’s technique of dots and short strokes is clearly visible on his subject’s torso. The background is largely unpainted, and color accents are employed with great restraint. Particularly apparent is the artist’s use of a hierarchical ordering that depicts the prince larger than the attendant ladies of the zenana. About the Artist Stipple MasterActive at the Court of Amar Singh II, Udaipur, ca. 1690-1715 Following the pioneering career of Sahibdin, painters in Udaipur, Rajasthan, mainly reproduced illustrations for religio

Yo-yo playing woman. Draughtsman: anonymous. Dating: 1680 - 1699. Place: Bikaner. Measurements: h 221 mm × w 129 mm; h 157 mm × w 85 mm. Museum: Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.

In an open field are a prince and two visitors offering him gifts, behind the hilltops another three half figures, above and below the representation two columns with text in Persian. The representation is framed by a pair of fine frame lines colored yellow and lies on the right side of the leaf, Prince receiving gifts., draughtsman: anonymous, Persia, 1500 - 1600, voorstelling, :, brush, brush, h 255 mm × w 162 mm, h 160 mm × w 92 mm

35mm original

Portrait of a Woman 17th century. Portrait of a Woman 446585

Prince Chandrahasa and a Goddess, Folio from a Razmnama (The Book of War). India, Sub-Imperial Mughal, Sub-Imperial Mughal, 1610-1620. Drawings; watercolors. Opaque watercolor, gold, and ink on paper

Emperor Alamgir II Sukha Luhar. Emperor Alamgir II, ca. 1756. Opaque watercolor and gold on paper, sheet: 7 3/16 x 5 1/4 in. (18.3 x 13.3 cm). Asian Art ca. 1756

Young man, who smokes a water pipe, sitting on a terrace, anonymous, c. 1630 drawing. Indian miniature paper. deck paint. paint (coating). gouache (paint). gouache (paint) brush

Ragini Patamanjari, c. 1740 - 1750. India, Bilaspur School, 18th century. Color on paper; overall: 18.9 x 11.4 cm (7 7/16 x 4 1/2 in.).

The performance shows a palace with a porter's lodge and a cross-section of two rooms, in the back room Krishna is welcomed by a servant and in the front room Radha sits with a bowed head waiting for a throne. The representation is framed by a narrow dark blue border with a stylized leaf and tendril motif in gold and gray, around it a series of framed lines and around it a pink-red dotted wide border with a frame line in red, the whole leaf is glued to a piece of cardboard and is slightly damaged at the corners, Krishna visits Radha., draughtsman: anonymous, Kangra, 1820, paper, brush, h 316 mm × w 240 mm, h 370 mm × w 290 mm

BAHRAM GUR SEES HERD OF DEER MESMERIZED BY DILARAM'S MUSIC, by Miskin, 1570-99, watercolor painting. Persian Sasanian King Bahram Gur with his beautiful slave girl, Dilaram, who could make animals sleep or awaken with the sound of her music. This painting is from 16th c. Mughal Emperor Akbars personal copy of the Indian poet, Amir Khusrau Dihlavi's, KHAMSA (BSLOC_2017_16_18)

Devi Enshrined and Holding the Tongue of a Demon, c. 1725. Northwestern India, Rajasthan, Rajput Kingdom of Sirohi; or Northern Deccan, Aurangabad. Gum tempera, gold, and silver on paper; page: 35.6 x 26.7 cm (14 x 10 1/2 in.). This enigmatic painting remains unidentified. Set in a forest teeming with wildlife, a four-armed goddess with three eyes and a crescent moon in her crown shows her dominance over a naked, ashen male figure standing to her left by clutching his tongue. In her right hands, she appears to hold agricultural implements, while in her upper left hand she holds a mace.

Dhanashri Ragini, Ragamala Album, School of Rajasthan, 19th century. A young woman looking at the portrait of her absent lover. Found in the collection of Jean Claude Carriere. The artist is unknown.

A watercolor painting depicting a man and a woman seated on a bed in an interior scene.

"The Man who Discovers the Treasure has it Carried Away by Hired Workmen", Folio from a Kalila wa Dimna second quarter 16th century This manuscript contains seventy-eight paintings and many text folios telling the famous tales of the jackals Kalila and Dimna. Based on the book of ancient Indian animal fables, the Panchatantra written by Vidyapati (Bidpai), the stories spread all over the Middle East where they became wildly popular. This manuscript has a strong flavor of Mamluk Egypt in the figure styles and bold drawings, with hints of Ottoman tulips and Safavid turbans. However, the burnt orange palette and darkly-inked lines have led to an attribution to Sultanate Gujarat where it is suggested this manuscript was copied from an Egyptian original. Its life in India is also attested by a Devanagari inscription at the end, although the rest of the Arabic text is written in a strong, left-leaning naskh-like script.. "The Man who Discovers the Treasure has it Carried Away by Hired Workme

The Old man and the Youth. Artist: Painting by Riza-yi `Abbasi (Persian, ca. 1565-1635). Calligrapher: Nur al-Din Muhammad Lahiji. Dimensions: 5 in. high 2.12 in. wide (12.7 cm high 5.4 cm wide). Date: second quarter 17th century.Mounted on an album page below a calligraphy signed by Nur al-Din Muhammad Lahiji, these two drawings form a single composition depicting an old man dressed as a dervish pursuing a youth with a wine bottle and cup. Although the drawings are ascribed to Riza-yi 'Abbasi, the quality of line here is more rigid and less sure than that of the master. The image of an old man yearning for a youth finds parallels in Persian mystical poetry. The line of poetry above the drawings refers to the virtue of a young male on the verge of manhood, but may be an ironic reference to the youth in the drawing. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

On a green terrace with pink flowers and a pink fence, a lady sits against a large roll pillow, sipping from a glass. On her lap an almost empty carafe, in front of her a leaf with some more bottles and bowls and on the right a white cat. Around the representation a thick black border and a wide orange-red decorative border with a white frame line, Seated lady., draughtsman: anonymous, Bundi, c. 1780, paper, brush, h 188 mm × w 244 mm, h 159 mm × w 210 mm

Radha does not return Krishna's flute. Draughtsman: anonymous. Draughtsman: Chajju (attributed to). Dating: 1805 - 1815. Place: Pahari. Measurements: h 163 mm × w 115 mm; h 207 mm × w 157 mm. Museum: Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.

Prince in a pavilion that is given scales, Anonymous, 1790 - 1810 Indian miniature. drawing In a pavilion on the left is a prince who gets all kinds of scales with edible gifts by four ladies in the foreground, while two ladies arrive in the background with jugs and carafes. A flowering bush and a tree are standing against a deep blue sky; The top and bottom edge of the leaf consist of two columns of text with framework lines. The performance is provided with text in two columns on recto and verso and set in framework lines. Cashmir paper brush / brush

The representation is divided into two horizontal strips, separated by a wide orange band. At the top are four men, one of whom is dark colored, sitting in a tailor's seat. They eat the food offered to them by a man on the left in two large pots and is offered by a standing man, in a tower on the left a woman sits with a drum and three women's heads are visible at the top. The lower strip is higher and depicts a stage with men coming from the falcon hunt or still to go and three men under a tent canvas, servants on the right hold the falcons on their gloved hands and in the open door of a pink building a man dressed in white is watching., Performance with seated men and performance with horsemen, an elephant and falcons., draughtsman: anonymous, Bilaspur, 1690 - 1710, paper, brush, h 221 mm × w 285 mm

Kalki with his white horse Devadatta. Draughtsman: anonymous. Dating: 1725 - 1749. Place: Bikaner. Measurements: h 269 mm × w 193 mm. Museum: Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.

Lalit Ragini: Folio from a ragamala series (Garland of Musical Modes) ca. 1680-90 India (Madhya Pradesh, Malwa) This morning raga shows the sleeping woman and her lover, who is silently departing after a night of passion: Wearing many ornaments and garments, splendid, the fair mistress lies exhausted upon her bed at dawn.” The work exemplifies the Malwa taste for compositions made up of compartmentalized structures that emphasize the role of each protagonist.. Lalit Ragini: Folio from a ragamala series (Garland of Musical Modes) 37894

The eldest brother explains the reason for his youthful appearance, from a Tuti-nama, Tales of a Parrot. Tutinama, Tales of a Parrot, is a series of 52 stories in Persian from the 14th century, in the 16th century Mughal Emperor Agbar commissioned an illustrated version, Forty-ninth Night, c. 1560. Mughal India, Court of Akbar (ruled 1556-1605) ., Historical, digitally restored reproduction from an original of the period

"Faramarz Slays Varazad", Folio from a Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Abu'l Qasim Firdausi. Author: Abu'l Qasim Firdausi (935-1020). Dimensions: Page: 8 1/16 x 5 1/4 in. (20.5 x 13.3 cm)Painting: 1 13/16 x 4 1/4 in. (4.6 x 10.8 cm). Date: ca. 1330-40.Many of the wars recounted in the Persian epic, the Shahnama, concern revenge for the murder of the pure-hearted Iranian prince Siyavush at the hands of the Turanians, as seen in this rarely illustrated episode. Of particular interest is the building with a square panel of kufic script set into the brickwork, a common feature of the architecture of the period. The flames indicate that the lands of the Turanians were burned and laid waste after their defeat. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Couple under a canopy for a palace, Anonymous, 1790 - 1810 Indian miniature. drawing On an almost uncoloured leaf are a woman and a man opposite each other under a canopy for a palace; The show is equipped with two columns of text on the top and top and also on the back; Around lines around, partly colored. Presentation very slightly colored and somewhat faded, columns text on front and back in black, broken on verse by a blue band with vague white text. Cashmir paper brush / brush / brush

The deceitful wife persuades her husband to sleep in the same place where she had previously slept with her lover, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Eighth Night, c. 1560. Mughal India, court of Akbar (reigned 1556-1605). Gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper; overall: 20.3 x 14 cm (8 x 5 1/2 in.); painting only: 9.5 x 10.1 cm (3 3/4 x 4 in.). In order to preempt the accusations of her father-in-law, the clever wife brought her husband to the same location and slept with him there. When her father-in-law then confronted his son, telling him that he caught his wife in bed with a man by the side of the canal and had her anklet to prove it, the husband simply laughed and said that the man was he, himself. In this manner the clever woman did not get caught in her adultery. The vizier's story convinced the king to doubt the word of his handmaiden and stay the execution of his son. The handmaiden, hearing this, appealed to the king to defend her honor, and he again sent the prince to be e

Chand Bibi playing Polo. Date/Period: 1700 - 1750. Painting. Height: 365 mm (14.37 in); Width: 230 mm (9.05 in). Author: UNKNOWN.

Lady on a seat, anonymous, 1770 - 1790 Indian miniature. drawing On a gold -colored chair on a terrace is a lady -dressed lady, in her left hand she holds the hose of the hookah that stands in front of her, on the left in front of her a bowl of which the pigeons cocks and three trays with flowering plants in the background ; In the middle of the terrace two sheets with caraffn and jars. The show lies in frameworks of black, red and white, a golden trim around the inner edge, the outer edge of the leaf is narrower in sky blue with leaf vines in gold than the horizontal, around the painted edge in even more framework lines White, red and black, also filled in with a golden trim in the middle. Shorapur paper brush / brush

Persian (Iranian) Islamic style, manuscript, Illustrated 12th century: The poet Nezami recounts the tales of Alexander the great

Against a starry night sky, a young woman rushes between the white houses on her way to her lover, she holds an oil lamp which she shields with her headscarf. The scene is pasted on a beige leaf splattered with gold paint and framed by a narrow golden border in black and red frame lines, Lady with oil lamp on her way to her lover., draughtsman: anonymous, Kotah, c. 1780, paper, brush, brush, h 415 mm × w 286 mm, h 229 mm × w 159 mm

"Kai Khusrau Wrestles with Shida", Folio from a Shahnama (Book of Kings). Author: Abu'l Qasim Firdausi (935-1020). Dimensions: Page: 8 x 5 1/4 in. (20.3 x 13.3 cm)Painting: 1 7/8 x 4 1/4 in. (4.8 x 10.8 cm). Date: ca. 1330-40.A wrestling match was often the final phase of single combat encounters. In this case, the prince gambled that the reigning Shah of Iran would not risk the indignity of wrestling on foot. Kai Khusrau, however, thinking of the loss of Iranian warriors at the hands of Shida, felt compelled to dash him to the ground, ending his life. The two hind legs and tail of the horse at right were probably added by a later hand. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Coloured illustration of an oriental lady next to a bridge with a fan. Illustrated by Edmund Dulac (1882-1953), a French British naturalised magazine and book illustrator.

Working in an irrigated garden. Mughal painting. 18th century Indian Manuscript painting. INDIA.

Iskandar (Alexander the Great) Battling the Zangi, c. 1550, Gold, colors, and ink on paper, Iran, Safavid period (1501-1736), The Macedonian king Alexander the Great (256-323 BCE), known in Persian as Iskandar, is celebrated in the Shahnameh as the valiant figure who defeats the Achaemenid dynasty and takes the role of a great Iranian King. However, in keeping with the epic, many of his achievements were exaggerated and fictionalized. In this painting, mounted on gold-sprinkled paper, Iskandar is seen with his army, defending Egypt from an attack from the Zangi, the Persian term used to broadly describe the peoples of the Swahili coast of East Africa. While the scene is steeped in myth, the artist offers a realistic view of contemporary Safavid (1501-1736) battle, with special attention paid to frenetic action, as well as the details of the arms and armor. The compositions dramatic vertical thrust adds another spatial dimension.

"Bahram Gur Slays the Dragon", Folio from a Shahnama (Book of Kings) second half 17th century Abu'l Qasim Firdausi. "Bahram Gur Slays the Dragon", Folio from a Shahnama (Book of Kings) 452763

Pragamyashyatiyaka Indian. , ca. 1825. Opaque watercolor, gold, and silver on paper, sheet: 11 1/2 x 8 5/8 in. (29.2 x 21.9 cm). Asian Art ca. 1825

Abraham and the sacrifice of Isaac. Draughtsman: anonymous. Dating: 1600 - 1700. Place: Iran. Measurements: h 174 mm × w 113 mm; h 250 mm × w 149 mm. Museum: Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.

To falsely incriminate her man, Hamnaz places a knife next to him and lets the blood dripping from her nose stain his clothes, from a Tuti-nama, Tales of a Parrot. Tutinama, Tales of a Parrot, is a series of 52 stories in Persian dating from the 14th century, in the 16th century Mughal Emperor Agbar commissioned an illustrated version, Twenty-fifth Night, c. 1560. Mughal India, Court of Akbar (ruled 1556-1605) ., Historical, Digitally Restored

Simply dressed person with writing equipment. Draughtsman: anonymous. Dating: 1500 - 1699. Place: Iran. Measurements: h 189 mm × w 113 mm; h 311 mm × w 195 mm. Museum: Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.

The snake, hidden in a basket of flowers, reveals himself to the Raja who has just sent away his wife, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Forty-third Night, c. 1560. Mughal India, court of Akbar (reigned 1556-1605). Gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper; overall: 20.3 x 14 cm (8 x 5 1/2 in.); painting only: 10.6 x 10.8 cm (4 3/16 x 4 1/4 in.).

Fighting derwishes. Draughtsman: anonymous. Dating: c. 1800. Place: Bundi. Measurements: h 305 mm × w 225 mm; h 223 mm × w 164 mm. Museum: Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.

Coloured illustration of an oriental lady next to a bridge with a fan. Illustrated by Edmund Dulac (1882-1953), a French British naturalised magazine and book illustrator.

Panchama Ragini, Page from a Jaipur Ragamala Set 1745-1770 Rajasthan. Opaque watercolor and gold on paper .

The snake enters into an argument with the frog, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Twenty-sixth Night, c. 1560. Mughal India, court of Akbar (reigned 1556-1605). Gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper; overall: 20.3 x 14 cm (8 x 5 1/2 in.); painting only: 9.5 x 10.2 cm (3 3/4 x 4 in.). Shapur, the exiled frog tyrant, brought a snake to his underground kingdom in a well to devour his enemies. However, when the snake became hungry again, he went on to eat Shapurs friends and family. Without any subjects over whom to rule, the frog escaped his dangerous ally and lived out his life alone and fearful. The parrot then cautioned Khujasta to be careful when entering into a new partnership, or she might end up like Shapur.

Hermit Saints (Schr. 1773b) 15th century Anonymous, German, 15th century German. Hermit Saints (Schr. 1773b) 382445 Artist: Anonymous, German, 15th century, Hermit Saints (Schr. 1773b), 15th century, Woodcut, hand-colored with oxidized silver; printed by hand, sheet: 5 11/16 x 4 3/4 in. (14.5 x 12 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Bequest of James Clark McGuire, 1930 (31.54.161)

Rajasthani miniature painting from Rajasthan, India. Probably late 19th century or early 20th century. Six men in conversation beneath a pergola. Four of the men hold flowers.

"Gushtasp Kills the Wolf of Fasiqun", Folio from a Shahnama (Book of Kings) ca. 1300-30 Abu'l Qasim Firdausi. "Gushtasp Kills the Wolf of Fasiqun", Folio from a Shahnama (Book of Kings) 452043

The parrot addresses Khujasta at the beginning of the fifty-first night, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Fifty-first Night, c. 1560. Mughal India, court of Akbar (reigned 1556-1605). Gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper; overall: 20.3 x 14 cm (8 x 5 1/2 in.); painting only: 8.5 x 9.9 cm (3 3/8 x 3 7/8 in.). As the sun sets on the fifty-first of fifty-two nights, Khujasta prepares to leave to meet her lover. She is stopped by Tuti, the shrewd, talking parrot, who tells her a story about the cruel King Bahram and the misfortune that befell his viziers daughter.

Raja on a black elephant. Watercolour by an Indian artist, ca. 1890.

Ardashir in bed with the slave girl Gulnar. From the Shahnama (Book of Kings), Anonymous

KAKEMONO Anonymous. Kakemono. Silk painting, 19th century. Paris, Victor Hugo House.

A man sitting on a tiger skin with four attendants, three with wings offering him various things. Gouache painting by an Indian painter.

Blindman's Bluff: Page From a Dispersed Bhagavata Purana (Ancient Stories of Lord Vishnu) ca. 1715-20 India (Rajasthan, Mewar) During the eighteenth century, artists continued to use the bright colors, flat shapes, frontal compositions, and stylizations typical of seventeenth-century Mewari painting- but only in illustrations of religious and literary texts, possibly because the old style was considered well suited to the mythological realm. As is apparent from this picture of Krishna's childhood games, the one innovation that was introduced into such manuscript paintings in the eighteenth century was the sporadic evocation of a deeper, more tangible space. The individual objects still appear two-dimensional here, but they are freed from the ground plane and arranged against a high horizon in a manner that suggests spatial recession. Although the implied depth is reinforced by overlapping trees, the diagonal slant of the river, and flat planes of color, the use of profiles and the fair

Muhammad Amin Khan Turani Indian. Muhammad Amin Khan Turani, 1875-1900. Opaque watercolor and gold on paper, sheet: 19 11/16 x 11 13/16 in. (50.0 x 30.0 cm). Asian Art 1875-1900

Gaunda Ragini Indian. Gaunda Ragini, ca. 1680. Ink and color on paper, sheet: 9 3/16 x 5 3/4 in. (23.3 x 14.6 cm). Asian Art ca. 1680

Vasanta Ragini, Ragamala Album, School of Rajasthan, 19th century. Artist: Unknown

"Sarafra'i Kills Khushnavaz in a Night Battle," Page from a Manuscript of the Shahnama of Firdawsi Vazir Qavam al-Din Hasan. "Sarafra'i Kills Khushnavaz in a Night Battle," Page from a Manuscript of the Shahnama of Firdawsi, AH 741 / 1341 C.E. Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper, 9 1/2 x 3 5/8 in. (24.1 x 9.2 cm). War was considered the most dangerous of imperial activities, but a ruler often depended on it to acquire or expand his kingdom. In this battle scene, armor-clad mounted warriors charge full speed ahead their adrenaline dynamically expressed through diagonally drawn bows, galloping horses, and the spiraling clouds of dust that frame them and rise up between the opposing forces. Along with the red and yellow ochre palette, the warriors' long torsos and the shallow background represent a style unique to painting in Shiraz under the lnjuids, governors of Fars province and vassals to the Ilkhanid Mongol rulers of Iran in the fourteenth century.This folio belongs to a manus

Den groten Auneng Zub.Drawing from the manuscript of the VOC servant Adrianus Canter Visscher with in the back of twenty-egypt Indian miniatures and two cards of places on the Coromandel coast. The text consists of two parts: a history of the Mogolrijk and the VOC branches on the Coromandel coast; This is followed by advice to the men's XVII about the economic situation of the VOC in the Coromandel.

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