Persian Miniature Paintings

Vibrant Persian miniature artworks capturing royal figures and historical moments with detailed depictions, vivid colors, and ornate decorative borders.

Miniature depicting pairs lovers (Mi Osna); 19th century (1801-00-00-1900-00-00);

Bahram Gur in a Peasant's House, folio from the so-called 'Second Small Shahnama' Bahram Gur in a Peasant's House, folio from the so-called 'Second Small Shahnama', early 14th century. Ink, opaque watercolors, gold on paper, original sheet size: 6 5/16 x 5 11/16 in. (16 x 14.5 cm). Arts of the Islamic World early 14th century

Faridun's Reply, Musavir, Mir, 1530

Four young women in a palace garden by moonlight. Miniature painting from Rajasthan, 18th century.

Standing frost. Draughtsman: anonymous. Dating: 1645 - 1655. Measurements: h 95 mm × w 65 mm. Museum: Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.

Rustam Kills the Turanian Hero Alkus with his Lance (Manuscript illumination from the epic Shahname by Ferdowsi) by Anonymous / The David Collection / The Oriental Arts / c. 1450 / India, Delhi Sultanate / Watercolour and ink on paper / Mythology, Alle

Portrait of Muhammad Salih Kambu 17th century. Portrait of Muhammad Salih Kambu. 17th century. Opaque watercolor on paper. Attributed to India. Codices

"Portrait of Maharaja Bhim Kanwar", Folio from the Shah Jahan Album verso: ca. 1615-29; recto: ca. 1540 Painting by Nanha Maharaja Bhim Kunwar wears a diaphanous jama tied to the left, an ornately decorated patka, or sash, and a sword hanging from his waist. He is set against a cyan background, typical of portraiture of the early seventeenth century.Bhim Kunwar, son of the Rajput ruler of Mewar, Rana Amar Singh, was given the title of maharaja by Shah Jahan, and was a staunch supporter and ally of the Mughal house. As demonstrated by the inclusion of his portrait in the Shah Jahan Album, Hindu nobility featured prominently in the ranks of the Mughal empire; Shah Jahan himself was the son of a Rathor Rajput princess.. "Portrait of Maharaja Bhim Kanwar", Folio from the Shah Jahan Album 451265

Hawk with crane. The performance consists of an unmarmed rectangle with a crane in stretched form that is tapped by a hawk; In upper right corner a blossom branch in blue and left under an opened flower in gray contours; Around the show frame lines in a decorative motif and various decorative edges with floral motifs in bright colors; The wide edge of the leaf has a floral pattern in honeycomb form and is trimmed with a narrow edge with tendrils and flower buds; The outer solid edge is light green, largely damaged and flocked; Verso calligraphy in decorated leaf. Around the show a number of narrow ornamental edges with floral motifs in a leaf with a floral pattern in honeycomb, sinked with a same edge as the inner edge; The show has been recorded; Heavy damages on the leaf; Verso a calligraphy with a glorified decorative edge around.

Love Scenes Indian. Love Scenes, 1660-1680. Opaque watercolor and gold on paper, sheet: 8 1/4 x 6 1/2 in. (21.0 x 16.5 cm). Asian Art 1660-1680

Illustration. Date/Period: 1500 - 1600. Illustration. Height: 470 mm (18.50 in). Author: Iran Unknown.

On a green background with black cast shadows and against a blue background a man and woman dressed in white are facing each other, the man is holding a flower in his left hand and the woman is holding a bird in her right hand. Around the performance there is a narrow orange border with black framing lines, Frost with dancer., draughtsman: anonymous, Centraal-India, 1800, paper, brush, brush

Young man with a cup. Ali Afradżani (fl. ca 1899), painter

"Portrait of Jadun Rai Deccani", Folio from the Shah Jahan Album. Artist: Painting by Hashim (active 1620-60). Calligrapher: Mir 'Ali Haravi (d. ca. 1550). Dimensions: H. 15 5/16 in. (38.9 cm)W. 10 1/8 in. (25.7 cm). Date: recto: ca. 1622; verso: ca. 1530-50. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Asavari Ragini, Fourth Wife of Shri Raga, Folio from a Ragamala (Garland of Melodies). India, Madhya Pradesh, Datia (), circa 1700-1725. Drawings; watercolors. Opaque watercolor and gold on paper

Camena. Draughtsman: Antoon Derkinderen. Dating: 1869 - 1925. Measurements: h 152 mm × w 125 mm. Museum: Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.

Portrait of Raja Ram Singh of Amber (r. 1667-1688) with a Deccan Sword (recto); Calligraphy (verso), c. 1680-1685. India, Mughal court, 17th century. Opaque watercolor on paper; page: 30.4 x 18.5 cm (11 15/16 x 7 5/16 in.). The sensitive, naturalistic rendering of weariness and forbearance in the face belies the trappings of favor bestowed on Ram Singh by the Mughal emperors Shah Jahan and Alamgir, whom he served as courtier and general between 1643 and 1688. He was a Hindu ruler from the kingdom of Amber in Rajasthan, under the control of the Mughal empire. Spending most of his life at the imperial court or leading military expeditions for the Mughals, this portrait was included in a Mughal album and inscribed with an Urdu verse indicating his value to the empire: "wherever he has led an expedition, victory is his." He wears a sumptuous coat of honor with a fur collar, woven with gold threads and floral sprigs and costly rubies, emeralds, and pearls. The straight sword with enameled

"The Hare, the Lion, and the Well", Folio from a Kalila wa Dimna. Dimensions: 12.5 in. high 8.87 in. wide (31.8 cm high 22.6 cm wide). Date: 18th century. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

A partially colored drawing of two women in front of a terrace, one sitting and one standing, and a sitting lady on a roller cushion on the terrace holding a cushion between her hands, in the background a tree party. The bottom and both sides are damaged and torn off., Sketch of a couple of ladies on a terrace, draughtsman: anonymous, Jaipur, c. 1800, paper, brush, h 238 mm × w 165 mm

Lovers on a terrace with three musicians. Date: 18th century. Origin: India. Period: Mughal dynasty. Color and gold on paper. Museum: Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery.

Camena. Design for glass painting in the house of S. de Swart and em. Van Kerckhoff to Laren: Camena.

"Alexander is Lowered into the Sea", Folio from a Khamsa (Quintet) of Amir Khusrau Dihlavi 1597-98 Amir Khusrau Dihlavi The Khamsa of the Indian poet Amir Khusrau includes a section on the philosopher-king Alexander the Great, who in Khusraus telling of his life led expeditions to China, Russia, and the Western Isles. In this copy of the Khamsa made for the Mughal emperor Akbar (r. 1556-1605), Alexander is shown being lowered into the sea in a glass diving bell. While underwater, he will receive a visit from an angel who foretells his death.. "Alexander is Lowered into the Sea", Folio from a Khamsa (Quintet) of Amir Khusrau Dihlavi. Painting attributed to Mukunda. 1597-98. Main support: Ink, watercolor, gold on paperMargins: Gold on dyed paper. Attributed to India. Codices

"Zal Slays Khazarvan and Puts Shamasas to Flight", Folio from a Shahnama (Book of Kings) ca. 1430-40 Abu'l Qasim Firdausi. "Zal Slays Khazarvan and Puts Shamasas to Flight", Folio from a Shahnama (Book of Kings) 447308

Isfandiyar with army in snowstorm, anonymous, 1790 Indian miniature. drawing Behind a pattern of green hills and trees with tents as a background, a procession of three vertical rows of half figures is visible, followed in the bottom row by four horse heads. The whole is sprinkled with white dots that represent the snow. The long narrow representation is contained in framework lines in black, light brown and red. Deccan paper brush snowstorm

Shah Tahmasp I (1514-1576) Seated in a Landscape, c. 1575. Iran, Qazvin, Safavid period (1501-1722). Opaque watercolor and gold on paper; sheet: 30 x 21.1 cm (11 13/16 x 8 5/16 in.); image: 14.3 x 8.9 cm (5 5/8 x 3 1/2 in.).

Ad Fontes. Draughtsman: Antoon Derkinderen. Dating: 1869 - 1925. Measurements: h 152 mm × w 125 mm. Museum: Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.

"A Gathering of Court Women", Folio from the Davis Album. Dimensions: Page: H. 13 1/8 in. (33.3 cm)W. 8 1/4 in. (21 cm)Painting: H. 9 1/4 in. (23.5 cm)W. 6 1/2 in. (16.5 cm)Mat: H. 19 1/4 in. (48.9 cm)W. 14 1/4 in. (36.2 cm). Date: late 17th-early 18th century.A rare glimpse into the lives of women at the court, this scene shows them reclining on textiles with Chinese-inspired phoenixes and clouds, eating pomegranates and peaches, and listening to the drum. The jewelry the women, and even the baby, wear adorns every limb with a sprinkling of pearls, rubies, and gold. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

"Portrait of Maharaja Bhim Kanwar", Folio from the Shah Jahan Album. Artist: Painting by Nanha. Calligrapher: Mir 'Ali Haravi (d. ca. 1550). Dimensions: Page: H. 15 1/4 in. (38.7 cm) W. 10 1/16 in. (25.6 cm)Painting: H. 6 7/16 in. (16.4 cm) W. 3 13/16 in. (9.7 cm). Date: verso: ca. 1615-29; recto: ca. 1540.Maharaja Bhim Kunwar wears a diaphanous jama tied to the left, an ornately decorated patka, or sash, and a sword hanging from his waist. He is set against a cyan background, typical of portraiture of the early seventeenth century.Bhim Kunwar, son of the Rajput ruler of Mewar, Rana Amar Singh, was given the title of maharaja by Shah Jahan, and was a staunch supporter and ally of the Mughal house. As demonstrated by the inclusion of his portrait in the Shah Jahan Album, Hindu nobility featured prominently in the ranks of the Mughal empire; Shah Jahan himself was the son of a Rathor Rajput princess. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Krishna with cows from linga altar. Draughtsman: anonymous. Dating: c. 1780. Place: Bundi. Measurements: h 225 mm × w 163 mm. Museum: Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.

"Women on a Balcony", Folio from the Davis Album 18th century. "Women on a Balcony", Folio from the Davis Album 448488

Kabir and Two Followers on a Terrace (recto), c. 1610-1620. India, Mughal, 17th century. Ink drawing with use of colors on paper, borders of gold-flecked cream paper (recto); page: 28 x 21 cm (11 x 8 1/4 in.).

Bust-Length Portrait of a Woman late 17th-early 18th century. Bust-Length Portrait of a Woman. late 17th-early 18th century. Ink, pencil, and gold on paper. Attributed to Iran, Isfahan. Codices

Raga Desakar early 18th century India (Rajasthan, Amber). Raga Desakar 37858

Balarama with Consort. India, Rajasthan, Nathadwara, Late 19th century. Drawings; watercolors. Opaque watercolor, gold, and silver on paper

Indian Mughal miniature depicting a young ascetic in front of a pavilion guarded by a leopard. Rajasthan school; Album of Ragamala 19th century

Princely Couple. Dimensions: H. 19 1/4 in. (48.9 cm)W. 12 9/16 in. (31.9 cm). Date: 1400-1405.Considering its unusually large scale, scholars have suggested that this painting of an embracing couple may have once served as a model for wall painting. No text is found on the painting to aid in the identification of the couple, but they have been compared to legendary lovers of Persian literature, including the characters of Khusrau and Shirin, known from the poet Nizami's Khamsa (Quintet). Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Below is one of the wonderful illuminations from the series, showing a river crossing on horseback. Briefly, it's a Turkish manuscript dating from 1579 (AH 987), commorating the life and deeds of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, who had died just 13 years previously. A bound portion of it survives in the library.

Persian nobles hunting by Iranian master / Private Collection / c. 1650 / Iran / Gouache on paper / Genre / 25,6x14,6

Arabic Manuscript, Illustrated with Miniatures of Various Formats unknown

"Kai Khusrau Defeats the Army of Makran", Folio 376v from the Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Shah Tahmasp ca. 1525-30 Abu'l Qasim Firdausi Afrasiyab's former allies reject him, so he is forced to travel to Gangdizh, a city built by Siyavush on the Sea of Chin, across the desert of Mukran. Kai Khusrau sends envoys to the local king to ask for provisions and safe passage, but the shah of Mukran instead prepares for war. The two sides are at an impasse until Giv rides forth and spears the shah of Mukran with his lance, hastening the end of the war.. "Kai Khusrau Defeats the Army of Makran", Folio 376v from the Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Shah Tahmasp 452158

Rajasthan, painted and decorated houses in the old town of Mandawa, manor houses, havelis with painted facades, North India, India, Asia

Marriage Contract. Date/Period: 1885. Ceremonial Art-Paper & Parchment. Ink and paint on paper Ink and paint on paper. Height: 1,026 mm (40.39 in); Width: 591 mm (23.26 in). Author: UNKNOWN ARTIST.

Behind a pattern of green hills and trees with tents a procession of three vertical rows of half figures is visible, on the lower row followed by four horse heads. The whole is sprinkled with white dots representing the snow. The long narrow representation is framed in black, light brown and red, Isfandiyar with army in snowstorm., draughtsman: anonymous, Deccan, 1790, paper, brush, h 205 mm × w 104 mm

A House Burgled at Night, c. 1700. Mughal India. Opaque watercolor with gold on paper; page: 38.7 x 28.7 cm (15 1/4 x 11 5/16 in.). In this night scene a band of robbers have climbed over the walls of a Mughal house and, from a courtyard, are successfully carrying out the possessions of its owners while a lady flees through the door. The speed of her movement is expressed in the swinging motion of her diaphanous skirt and the scarf clutched in her hand, as well as by the shoes abandoned on the ground in her haste. This depiction of unruly behavior and its effects are perhaps an expression of the violent succession of emperors that threw the Mughal court into distress at the beginning of the 18th century.

Prince and his beloved (Krishna and Raddha) fleeing a storm. Draughtsman: anonymous. Dating: 1550 - 1900. Place: Kangra. Measurements: h 274 mm × w 183 mm. Museum: Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.

Rocking lady. Draughtsman: anonymous. Dating: 1740 - 1760. Place: Shorapur. Measurements: h 203 mm × w 145 mm. Museum: Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.

Rider on horseback. Draughtsman: anonymous. Dating: c. 1770. Place: Jodhpur. Measurements: h 299 mm × w 233 mm. Museum: Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.

The Dog Qara Buraq Drives off the Wolves, 1425-30, Ḥāfi-i Abrū, died 1430, 16 7/8 × 13 in. (42.8 × 33 cm) (sheet)13 5/16 × 9 in. (33.8 × 22.8 cm) (image), Ink and opaque watercolor on paper, Afghanistan, 15th century, This folio is from the Collection of Chronicles (Majmaʿ al-tavārīkh), a history of the world by the Persian scholar Hāfiz-i Abrū, who worked at the court of the Timurid ruler Shāhrukh (1377-1447) in Herat, central Asia. The subject is opaque, but the narrative of the hunting dog Qara Baraq also appears in the Jāmiʿ al-tavārīkh (Compendium of Chronicles) by Rashīd al-Dīn (d. 1318), an earlier text that Hāfiz-i Abrū knew intimately. The folio probably illustrates an event emblematic of duty, loyalty, and bravery, as the black dog repels fearsome wolves, protecting the frightened sheep huddled within the rocks. The clouds are painted in a pattern drawn from Chinese ceramics imported to the Islamic world.

"The Thief Falls Through the Skylight in the Bedroom", Folio from a Kalila wa Dimna. Dimensions: 12.5 in. high 8.87 in. wide (31.8 cm high 22.6 cm wide). Date: 18th century. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

A warrior in a red robe stands in a field decorated with floral motifs and plays a siter-like instrument, the representation is bordered with a gold colored ornamental border with foliate motif in green. The leaf with the representation is pasted on a sky blue sheet of paper, there are some holes in the representation, Man in a red robe playing a musical instrument., draughtsman: anonymous, Iran, 1570 - 1590, paper, brush, h 164 mm × w 95 mm

Tunisia: The process of papermaking, Islamic miniature after Al-Mu'izz ibn Badis (1008-1062), c. 11th-12th century

Mural from a room in Domus M. Asellini or House of Adonis, Reg. VI, Ins. VII, No. 18. Illustration drawn by Discanno and lithographed by Victor Steeger from Emile Presuhn's "Les Decorations Murales de Pompei," Weigel, Leipzig, 1878. German archeologist Presuhn (1844-1881) lived in Italy for eight years and, with Mr. Discanno, made exact copies of many wall paintings that are now lost.

The conquest of Golkonda by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in 1687 by Indian Art / Private Collection / ca 1760 / India, Mughal school / Gouache on paper / History / 32x23,4

Ragini Todi. Date/Period: 1785 - 1790. Painting. Height: 245 mm (9.64 in); Width: 170 mm (6.69 in). Author: UNKNOWN.

Jodhpur (Rajasthani: ोधपुर), (Urdu: جودهپُور ‎) is the 2nd largest city in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is located 335 kilometres (208 mi) west of the state capital, Jaipur and 200 kilometres (124 mi) from the city of Ajmer. It was formerly the seat of a princely state of the same name, the capital of the kingdom known as Marwar. The city is known as the 'Blue City' due to the vivid blue-painted houses around the Mehrangarh Fort. The old city circles the fort and is bounded by a wall with several gates. However, the city has expanded greatly outside the wall over the past several decades. Jodhpur lies near the geographic centre of Rajasthan state, which makes it a convenient base for travel in the region.

"Portrait of Jahangir Beg, Jansipar Khan", Folio from the Shah Jahan Album. Artist: Painting by Balchand (Indian, 1595-ca. 1650). Calligrapher: Mir 'Ali Haravi (d. ca. 1550). Dimensions: H. 15 3/8 in. (39 cm)W. 10 3/8 in. (26.3 cm). Date: verso: ca. 1627; recto: ca. 1530-50. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

"The Crows Trap the Owls in Their Cave by Lighting a Fire at the Entrance and Fanning it with Their Wings" , 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 Crows Trap the Owls in Their Cav

Miniatur. Blatt aus einer Handschrift.. Prints. 1912. The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Art & Architecture Collection

Isfandiyar with army in snowstorm. Draughtsman: anonymous. Dating: 1790. Place: Deccan. Measurements: h 205 mm × w 104 mm. Museum: Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.

Portrait of ABD al-Jabbar, who has been a sight of Sultan Abdullah, c. 1686 drawing. Indian miniature Abd al-Jabbar is depicted up to his hips, used to the left, with a flower and a dagger in his belt in his right hand. Leaf 34 in the `Witsen-Album ', with 49 Indian miniatures of princes. Above the portrait a piece of paper with the name in Persian. Under the portrait a piece of paper with the name in the Portuguese. Golkonda paper. deck paint. gold leaf. gouache (paint) brush ruler, sovereign. historical person (...) - historical person (...) portrayed alone

France: Aristocratic figures at the Chateau de Dourdan, April in the calendar section of the Tres Riches Heures du Duc de Berry, tempera on vellum, Limbourg Brothers, c. 1415 CE

Isfandiyâr's Fifth Exploit: he kills the sîmurgh.. 1616. Firdawsî. text. illuminated manuscripts, Illuminations, Manuscripts. Spencer Collection. Manuscripts, Persian

Niaz Bahadur Khan Indian. Niaz Bahadur Khan, 1875-1900. Opaque watercolor and gold on paper, sheet: 19 3/4 x 11 7/8 in. (50.2 x 30.2 cm). Asian Art 1875-1900

Siege of a city and a prince that speaks with an army commander, Anonymous, 1590 - 1610 Indian miniature. drawing On most of the magazine, an attacking army is depicted at a city wall where defenders are losing out; In the Inlas at the top right, there is a frost on a blue terrace opposite warriors with a commander bending in front of the prince. The show is framed by black frameworks with a piping of gold in it and a thin decorative edge with gold splash. Decorative edge and framework: Paper brush / brush Victory, position was

Mughal prince sitting on an elephant. Draughtsman: anonymous. Dating: 1675 - 1700. Measurements: h 226 mm × w 145 mm. Museum: Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.

The Friends of `Ali at the Hunt, Page from an Illustrated Manuscript of the Khwavarannama of Muhammad b. Husam The Friends of `Ali at the Hunt, Page from an Illustrated Manuscript of the Khwavarannama of Muhammad b. Husam, ca. 1477. Ink and opaque watercolor, and gold on paper, 8 x 6 5/8 in. (20.3 x 16.8 cm). These pages belong to a dispersed illustrated manuscript and the first known copy of the Khavarannama by the poet Muhammad ibn Husam (d. circa 1470). Modeled on the Iranian national epic, the Shahnama (Book of Kings), the Khavarannama details the life of cAli, the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet and the most important figure in Shica Islam after Muhammad. The manuscript originally contained 155 miniatures, which appear to have been executed some years after the text and display the vibrant colors and lush vegetation characteristic of the Turkman painting tradition of Shiraz. In one of the paintings shown here, the military leader cAdnan visits cAli, depicted as a enthroned k

Woman who dries her hair, Anonymous, 1790 - 1810 Indian miniature. drawing De Pauw catches water droplets from the woman's hair. Kishangar paper. gouache (paint) brush

Illustration for the Fairy tale Snegurochka, Zvorykin, Boris Vasilievich (1872-after 1935)

Indian painting has a very long tradition and history in Indian art. The earliest Indian paintings were the rock paintings of pre-historic times, the petroglyphs as found in places like Bhimbetka, some of them from before 5500 BC. India's Buddhist literature is replete with examples of texts which describe palaces of kings and the aristocratic class embellished with paintings, but the paintings of the Ajanta Caves are the most significant of the few survivals. Smaller scale painting in manuscripts was probably also practised in this period, though the earliest survivals are from the medieval period. Mughal painting represented a fusion of the Persian miniature with older Indian traditions, and from the 17th century its style was diffused across Indian princely courts of all religions, each developing a local style. Company paintings were made for British clients under the British raj, which from the 19th century also introduced art schools along Western lines, leading to modern Indian

A number of manuscripts were made under the Injuids in Shiraz that were clearly influenced by Il-Khanid painting, but also had their own style, with characteristic earth colors and trees with large flowers. The Indian animal fables told in Kalila wa Dimna should be considered a mirror for princes,” didactic stories intended to teach young nobles to rule wisely. We see a fox that has greedily pulled a drum down from a tree, and in doing so driven the birds away that were its actual prey. The fox has just discovered that the drum cannot be eaten, even though it is big and noisy.

The Shahnameh or Shah-nama (Persian: Šahnameh, 'The Book of Kings') is a long epic poem written by the Persian poet Ferdowsi between c. 977 and 1010 CE and is the national epic of Iran and related Perso-Iranian cultures. Consisting of some 60,000 verses, the Shahnameh tells the mythical and to some extent the historical past of Greater Iran from the creation of the world until the Islamic conquest of Persia in the 7th century. The work is of central importance in Persian culture, regarded as a literary masterpiece, and definitive of ethno-national cultural identity of Iran. It is also important to the contemporary adherents of Zoroastrianism, in that it traces the historical links between the beginnings of the religion with the death of the last Zoroastrian ruler of Persia during the Muslim conquest.

Equestrian Portrait of Maharana Raj Singh II of Mewar (r. 1755-62), c. 1760. Northwestern India, Rajasthan, Rajput Kingdom of Mewar. Gum tempera and gold on paper; 40 x 28 cm (15 3/4 x 11 in.). The youthful king was only eleven years old when he inherited the throne from his father Pratap Singh II (r. 1752-55). Here shown with barely the beginnings of facial hair starting to grow, he wears a gorgeous turban with fresh flowers tucked into the bejeweled band, and a lion-headed dagger in his belt. Multicolored clouds gather forbiddingly in the sky, promising rain, as the black stallion trots through the grasses, and he gestures to his attendants not to be afraid.

Two male attendants. Gouache painting by an Indian artist.

Rustam shoots Shaghâd.. 1616. Firdawsî. text. illuminated manuscripts, Illuminations, Manuscripts. Spencer Collection. Manuscripts, Persian

Krishna and the Cowherds Dive into the River, from a Rasikapriya, c. 1640. Central India, Madhya Pradesh, Malwa. Gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper; page: 20.6 x 17.8 cm (8 1/8 x 7 in.). Krishna and seven cowherds (gopas) playfully jump into a river, depicted as a wavy tricolor band that divides the composition diagonally in half. Krishna and four others are already airborne, while three get ready to jump. Radha and her friends witness this feat in amusement from a marble platform. The milkmaids are fully dressed, while Krishna and the cowherds are wearing kaupina loincloths.

Safavid Persian prince at court, miniature from a Persian manuscript, 1650.

Portrait of Raja Jagat Singh of Nurpur (reigned 1618-46), probably 1619. Attributed to Bichitr (Indian, active c. 1615-50). Opaque watercolor and gold on paper; page: 41 x 32.7 cm (16 1/8 x 12 7/8 in.). Jagat Singh was a prince from a small kingdom in the western Himalayan foothills who grew up at the imperial Mughal court of Jahangir and his queen Nur Jahan. He was given the title of prince in 1619, and this painting may commemorate that event. Very few nobles from the hill states had positions at the Mughal court at this time, so his portrait is a rare imperial Mughal painting.The emperor and his favorite wife frequently visited Nurpur, named City of Light” in their honor, to hunt and relax, and Prince Jagat Singh was a favorite of the queen. She interceded on his behalf in 1624, when he joined a rebellion to dethrone her husband.

Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Firdausi. Author: Abu'l Qasim Firdausi (935-1020). Calligrapher: Muhammad ibn Mulla mir al-Husaini al-Ustadi. Dimensions: H. 14 3/4 in.. (37.5 cm)W. 9 3/4 in. (24. 8 cm). Date: A.H. 1014/A.D. 1605-7. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

A blindfolded suitor is brought before a princess; verso: scrolling floral vines, 1755. Fayzullah (Indian, active c. 1730-1765). Opaque watercolor with gold on paper (recto); opaque watercolor with gold on paper (verso); In a scene set on a carpeted terrace in the womens palace quarters, an older woman of the harem drags a young prince with a white blindfold over his eyes before a princess grasping a document. Such a scene evokes a literary allusion of a princess who selects her suitor, but it also resonates with circumstances at the Mughal court. Signed and dated by the artist, this painting was completed at a time when powerful women wielded control over the emperor, and Ahmad Shah Bahadur (reigned 1748-54), son and successor of Muhammad Shah, had been blinded and deposed less than one year before.

Illustration from a Madhu-Malati Series Attributed to Bhagvan. Illustration from a Madhu-Malati Series, ca. 1799. Opaque watercolor and gold on paper, sheet: 6 1/2 x 8 1/8 in. (16.5 x 20.6 cm);. Asian Art ca. 1799

Cigogna manuscript (1671), Merchants in a bazaar. Islamic art. Miniature Painting. ITALY. VENETO. Venice. Biblioteca nazionale marciana (St. Mark's Library).

Three women in classical dress, one holding a lyre, Collection of engravings from ancient vases mostly of pure Greek workmanship discovered in sepulchres in the kingdom of the Two Sicilies: but chiefly in the neighbourhood of Naples during the course of the years MDCCLXXXIX and MDCCLXXXX now in the possession of Sir Wm. Hamilton, with remarks on each vase, Hamilton, William, 1730-1803, Etching, 1795

Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, Murad III (4 July 1546 15/16 January 1595) was the eldest son of Sultan Selim II (1566-74), and succeeded his father in 1574. Murad began his reign by having his five younger brothers strangled. His authority was undermined by the harem influences, more specifically, those of his mother and later of his favorite wife Safiye Sultan. The power had only been maintained under Selim II by the genius of the all-powerful Grand Vizier Mehmed Sokollu who remained in office until his assassination in October 1579. The reign of Murad III was marked by wars with Safavids and Habsburgs and Ottoman economic decline and institutional decay.

Bound Manuscript of the Khamsa of Nizami Nizami. Bound Manuscript of the Khamsa of Nizami, late 16th century. Ink, opaque watercolor, pasteboard, leather, gold on paper, 8 1/4 x 13 3/8 in. (21 x 34 cm). Arts of the Islamic World late 16th century

Portrait of a kneeling holy man, from the Prince Salim Album, c. 1556-60; border c. 1602. Attributed to Mir Sayyid Ali (Persian, active in India, 1555-1580). Opaque watercolor with gold on paper, laid down on an album page with cream borders decorated with gold flowers and geometric motifs; One of the few surviving works that appear to have been made by an artist brought from Iran by Akbars father, Humayun, shortly after his arrival in Mughal India, this page was mounted into the Prince Salim Album in his breakaway court in Allahabad. The flowing lyrical contour lines, penetrating expression, and soft yet wiry texture of the beard reveal the hand of a master. The verse written above and below the painting is a quotation from a poetic sermon of the Persian author Sanai, who lived about 1100: If it were greed that led you to acquire learning, then be afraid, For at night, a thief with a torch can take away the choicest goods! The calligraphy suggests that the kneeling figure is a char

King Pritha with the earth as a cow. Draughtsman: anonymous. Dating: 1710 - 1730. Place: Bikaner. Measurements: h 331 mm × w 190 mm; h 142 mm × w 124 mm. Museum: Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.

Portrait of a dignitarys wife. unknown, painter

Wall painting showing men and a board game, Haveli, Mandawa, Shekhawati region, Rajasthan, North India, South Asia, Asia

Nanda and the Elders in Council with the Cowherds, from a Bhagavata Purana, c. 1690-1700. Northwestern India, Rajasthan, Rajput Kingdom of Bikaner. Gum tempera, silver, and gold on paper; page: 30 x 38 cm (11 13/16 x 14 15/16 in.); miniature: 22.5 x 31.1 cm (8 7/8 x 12 1/4 in.). The glowing hues and exquisite treatment of the figures and vegetation transport the viewer to the mythic realm of the Hindu god Krishna. Nanda, the lead elder of the cowherder village, sits amid the village council, larger than the others. After witnessing the divine and superhuman activities of Krishna, the cowherders approached Nanda and asked him for an explanation.

Polo players. Two men on horseback and three standing on the ground. At the bottom of the text: The Game of Gav and Chogan. On the back inscription in Persian scripture.

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

Munir al-Mulk (Aristu Jah), Prime Minister of Hyderabad. India, Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad, circa 1810-1820. Drawings; watercolors. Opaque watercolor, gold, and ink on paper

Textile Fragment late 14th-early 15th century This textile fragment, woven in vibrantly colored silk, is ornamented with an Arabic inscription in cursive thuluth script, which reads "Glory to our lord the Sultan." This phrase was often employed in the embellishment of the arts and architecture of the Nasrid period, and many similar textiles survive today as fragments. Silk textiles made in al-Andalus for sumptuous attire and costly furnishings were among the luxury commodities sought after by the Muslim and Christian elites on the Iberian Peninsula and far beyond its borders. Such textiles took on new lives as they were often later cut and reused for purposes such as ecclesiastic vestments.. Textile Fragment 447048

Piruz Advises Nushzad not to Rebel against Anushirvan, Page from a Manuscript of the Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Firdawsi. Iran, Shiraz, circa 1560. Manuscripts; folios. Opaque watercolor heightened with gold and silver on paper

Five interpreted texts. Five obedted texts in clouds of white on golden background. The magazine with text is placed in a frame of discolored ivory-colored paper with a gold ornamental pattern of floral drinks and stuck on a wider decorative edge that covers the entire further leaf from dark green with stylized leaf and floral motifs in gold and light green. Around the outer edge is another narrow discolored ivory edge that is sprinkled with unclear gold motifs.

"Fifth Joust, The Death of Simurgh by the Hands of Isfandiyar", Folio from a Shahnama (Book of Kings). Author: Abu'l Qasim Firdausi (935-1020). Dimensions: H. 13 in. (33 cm)W. 9 in. (22.9 cm). Date: 16th century. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Lady lures bird. Draughtsman: anonymous. Dating: 1810. Place: Kangra. Measurements: h 117 mm × w 82 mm; h 150 mm × w 115 mm. Museum: Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.

Yahy ibn Mahmûd al-Wsitî was a 13th-century Arab Islamic artist. Al-Wasiti was born in Wasit in southern Iraq. He was noted for his illustrations of the Maqam of al-Hariri. Maqama (literally 'assemblies') are an (originally) Arabic literary genre of rhymed prose with intervals of poetry in which rhetorical extravagance is conspicuous. The 10th century author Badi' al-Zaman al-Hamadhani is said to have invented the form, which was extended by al-Hariri of Basra in the next century. Both authors' maqamat center on trickster figures whose wanderings and exploits in speaking to assemblies of the powerful are conveyed by a narrator. Manuscripts of al-Hariri's Maqamat, anecdotes of a roguish wanderer Abu Zayd from Saruj, were frequently illustrated with miniatures.

"Ceasar Captive Before Shapur II", Folio 543r from the Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Shah Tahmasp 1530-35 Abu'l Qasim Firdausi Shah Shapur went to Rum disguised as a merchant, but was recognized at Caesars court and thrown into prison. Caesar then invaded Iran, causing havoc. A sympathetic young man helped Shapur to escape to Iran, where he gathered an army to take revenge. He captured Caesar but spared his life, castigating him for his evil actions. Aqa Mirak, the last director of the Shahnama project, has minimized the number of figures to heighten the dramatic tension between the protagonists. "Ceasar Captive Before Shapur II", Folio 543r from the Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Shah Tahmasp 452169

India: 'A screen-maker, possibly of the Dumna caste'. Tashrih al-aqvam, Hansi: James Skinner, 1825

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