Traditional Indian Artworks

A series of historical Indian paintings depicting divine episodes, featuring vibrant colors and intricate details in portrayals of Hindu gods and royal figures.

Album of Ragamala. A prince sits on the terrace of a pavilion listening to music played by Narada, bearded divine sage, and a Kinnara, celestial musician half man half horse. 19th century Indian miniature, Rajasthan School.

Abu-Muhammad Muslih al-Din bin Abdalah Shirazi (1184 - 1283/1291), better known by his pen-name as Sadi or, simply, Saadi, was one of the major Persian poets of the medieval period. Still widely quoted, and recited by Iranian schoolchildren, he is recognized not only for the quality of his writing, but also for the depth of his social thoughts.

Lady with oil lamp on the way to her loved one. A young woman rushes down a young woman through the white houses on the way to her loved one, she loves an oil lamp that she shot off with her headscarf. The performance is stuck on a beige leaf with gold paint splashed and framed by a narrow golden edge in black and red frame lines.

Worship of Shri Nathaji Indian. Worship of Shri Nathaji, ca. 1825-1850. Ink and color on paper, sheet: 13 3/8 x 9 3/4 in. (34.0 x 24.8 cm). Asian Art ca. 1825-1850

Raja Balwant Singh Revering Krishna and Radha. Artist: Attributed to Nainsukh (active ca. 1735-78). Culture: India (Himachal Pradesh, Jasrota). Dimensions: Overall: 7 3/4 x 6 1/8 in. (19.7 x 15.6 cm). Date: ca. 1745-50.Here, Krishna and Radha appear as Raja Balwant Singh's devotional vision. Subtly, Nainsukh has created two contrasting worlds, one occupied by the deities and the other by their devotee, who stands at the threshold. Balwant Singh looks into Krishna's eyes and in turn receives his Lord's grace. The setting is a terrace of the raja's court framed by a landscape, and the orange canopy draws us into the divine space of the gods, who sit on a gilded, cushioned throne. Nainsukh gives tremendous power to this work by omitting embellishing design and thereby focusing on the essentials. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

A Hindu warrior and his wife. Gouache drawing.

Palace Women Enjoy Music by the Side of a Water Cascade, c. 1780. Northern India, Himachal Pradesh, Pahari Kingdom of Guler. Gum tempera, gold and silver on paper; page: 29.6 x 20.6 cm (11 5/8 x 8 1/8 in.); image: 24.1 x 16 cm (9 1/2 x 6 5/16 in.). Sitting by an artificial cascade in a palace, a woman smokes a hookah and enjoys a music performance with her attendants. She raises her left hand in appreciation of the musicians and turns toward a companion (sakhi) who also shares her enthusiasm. Three attendants stand behind herone holding a box of betel leaves, while the other two hold a fly whisk and a fan.

Khamsa of Nizami Manuscript. India, Jammu and Kashmir, Kashmir region, 19th century. Manuscripts. Opaque watercolor on paper

Maharana Jagat Singh II in Procession ca. 1745 India (Rajasthan, Mewar). Maharana Jagat Singh II in Procession 37916

"Bahram Gur Sees a Herd of Deer Mesmerized by Dilaram' s Music", Folio from a Khamsa (Quintet) of Amir Khusrau Dihlavi 1597-98 Amir Khusrau Dihlavi Approximately one century after the Persian poet Nizami wrote his Khamsa (Quintet), the Indian poet Amir Khusrau Dihlavi composed a response using Nizamis structure but varying his stories slightly. This painting comes from the Mughal emperor Akbars (r. 1556-1605) personal copy of Amir Khusraus verses. It shows the king Bahram Gur with his beautiful slave girl, Dilaram, who could make animals sleep or awaken with the sound of her music.. "Bahram Gur Sees a Herd of Deer Mesmerized by Dilaram' s Music", Folio from a Khamsa (Quintet) of Amir Khusrau Dihlavi. Attributed to Miskin (active ca. 1570-1604). 1597-98. Main support: ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paperMargins: gold on dyed paper. Attributed to India. Codices

Company with two princes at a campfire, Anonymous, 1670 - 1690 Indian miniature. drawing Against a green background there is a company of men around a campfire; The front row of seven is divided into three and four who look at each other, behind it are two more men who look at the center and the two princes are on either side of a square campfire; On the right an Iele tree. Bilaspur paper brush

Bathing Hindu women.

Bathing Hindu women. Draughtsman: anonymous. Dating: c. 1680 - c. 1699. Place: Deccan. Measurements: h 241 mm × w 162 mm. Museum: Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.

Persian couple copulating

The Mughal Prince Parvez and a Holy Man. Origin: India. Period: Mughal dynasty. Opaque watercolor, ink and gold on paper. Date: ca. 1610. Museum: Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery.

A Ruler Seated on a Terrace Worshipping at a Shrine of Radha and Krishna, c. 1800. Central India, Madhya Pradesh, possibly Gwalior. Gum tempera and gold on paper; 25.1 x 20 cm (9 7/8 x 7 7/8 in.). A noble clad in a black woolen shawl and a red turban, both with delicate floral embroidery, kneels before a small shrine with icons of Krishna fluting alongside his lover Radha. An attendant dressed in white holds a fly whisk that denotes the kneeling figures royal status. The black sky with light horizon suggests that the sun has recently set. In spite of the individualized facial features, this noble remains unidentified.

Vishnu and Lakshmi on the Garuda bird. Against a gray sky with systematic pattern of stars and garlands fly fishhnu, in blue figure, and lakshmi. On a lotus on the back of the Garuda bird by the seal. The show is framed by a yellow and a blue trim with white frame line and an outer red border with white frame line.

Scenes from the Kama Sutra from cupboard in the Juna Mahal fort, Dungarpur, Rajasthan state, India, Asia

Six Gopis Seated Beneath Trees: Page from a Dispersed Bhagavata Purana (Ancient Stories of Lord Vishnu) 1600-10 India (Gujarat, Ahmedabad) This charming page illustrates the somewhat folksy style, with hints of Mughal influenced naturalism, that predominated in Gujarat in the early seventeenth century and superceded the more stylized, earlier one.. Six Gopis Seated Beneath Trees: Page from a Dispersed Bhagavata Purana (Ancient Stories of Lord Vishnu) 37936

The Hindu Goddess Durga Slaying the Demon Nishumbha, Folio from a Devimahatmya (Glory of the Goddess). India, Rajasthan, Jaipur, circa 1825-1850. Drawings; watercolors. Opaque watercolor, gold, silver, and ink on paper

A raga is one of the melodic modes used in Indian classical music. A raga uses a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is constructed. However, the way the notes are approached and rendered in musical phrases and the mood they convey are more important in defining a raga than the notes themselves. In the Indian musical tradition, rāgas are associated with different times of the day, or with seasons. Rāginī (Devanagari: ागिनी) is a term for the 'feminine' counterpart or 'wife' to a rāga. The rāga-rāgini scheme dates from about the 14th century and aligns 6 'male' rāgas with 6 'wives'.

A raga is one of the melodic modes used in Indian classical music. A raga uses a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is constructed. However, the way the notes are approached and rendered in musical phrases and the mood they convey are more important in defining a raga than the notes themselves. In the Indian musical tradition, rāgas are associated with different times of the day, or with seasons. Rāginī (Devanagari: ागिनी) is a term for the 'feminine' counterpart or 'wife' to a rāga. The rāga-rāgini scheme dates from about the 14th century and aligns 6 'male' rāgas with 6 'wives'.

year calendar picture & painting for a hindu month magha, india Copyright: xBhagwandasxRupani/DinodiaxPhotox

Goddess Bhadrakali Worshipped by the Gods: from a tantric Devi series. Date/Period: Ca. 1660-70. Painting / watercolor painting. Opaque watercolor, gold, silver and beetle-wing cases on paper. Height: 21.7 cm (8.5 in); Width: 21.5 cm (8.4 in). Author: unknown Basholi artist.

Persian couple copulating

The Garuda Bird with Vishnu and Lakshmi seated on a lotus. 18th century Indian Manuscript painting. INDIA.

A Gathering of Holy Men of Different Faiths ca. 1770-75 Mir Kalan Khan This painting is based upon a well-known Mughal painting on the theme of a gathering of holy men of different faiths. The main figures can be identified (from right to left) as Ravidas, Sena, Namdev, Aughar, Kamal, and Kabir. Though trained at the Mughal court, the artist Mir Kalan Khan moved to Lucknow, where he became the leading court painter of Shuja' al-Daula (r. 1754-75) and Asaf al-Daula (r. 1775-98), producing a substantial body of work in a style that was widely imitated.. A Gathering of Holy Men of Different Faiths 456967

Muhammad descends into Hell with the Angel Gabriel, miniature from the Book of Ascension, Arabic manuscript, Turkey 15th Century.

Akbar (Urdu: جلال الدین محمد اکبر , Hindi: लालुद्दीन मुहम्मद अकबर, Jalāl ud-Dīn Muhammad Akbar), also known as Shahanshah Akbar-e-Azam or Akbar the Great (25 October 1542 - 27 October 1605), was the third Mughal Emperor. He was of Timurid descent; the son of Emperor Humayun, and the grandson of Emperor Babur, the ruler who founded the Mughal dynasty in India. At the end of his reign in 1605 the Mughal empire covered most of the northern and central India. Akbar was thirteen years old when he ascended the Mughal throne in Delhi (February 1556), following the death of his father Humayun. During his reign, he eliminated military threats from the powerful Pashtun descendants of Sher Shah Suri, and at the Second Battle of Panipat he decisively defeated the newly self-declared Hindu king Hemu. It took him nearly two more decades to consolidate his power and bring all the parts of northern and central India into his direct realm. He dominated the whole of the Indian Subcontinent and he ruled

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Nasir ud-din Muhammad Humayun (1508-56) was the second Mughal emperor who ruled present-day Afghanistan, Pakistan and parts of northern India from 1530-40 and again from 1555-56. Like his father, Babur, he lost his kingdom early, but with Persian aid, he eventually regained a larger one. On the eve of his death in 1556, the Mughal Empire spanned almost one million square kilometers.

Celebrations of Krishna's birth. Date/Period: 1785 - 1790. Painting. Height: 260 mm (10.23 in); Width: 255 mm (10.03 in). Author: UNKNOWN.

Festival of the Cattle Gopashtami; shrine hanging pichhavai. Date/Period: 19th century. Painting,opaque watercolour on cotton. Height: 2,230 mm (87.79 in); Width: 2,200 mm (86.61 in). Author: India Rajasthan.

Illustration from a Gita Govindaseries

Motued and 18000 Indian miniature. drawing Against a gray sky with systematic pattern of stars and garlands, Vishnu, in blue shape, and Lakshmi are sitting on a lotus flower on the back of the bird Garuda through the sky space. The show is framed by a yellow and a blue trim with a white frame line and an outer red edge with a white framework. Rajasthan paper brush / brush

A shop in which one man serves a drink to another man. Gouache painting.

Against a gray sky with systematic pattern of stars and garlands fly Vishnu, in blue, and Lakshmi sitting on a lotus flower on the back of the bird Garuda through the sky. The representation is framed by a yellow and a blue border with white frame line and an outer red border with white frame line, Vishnu and Lakshmi on the bird Garuda., draughtsman: anonymous, Rajasthan, c. 1800, paper, brush, brush, h 233 mm × w 170 mm

Krishna and the Call of the Flute, Anonymous

Mahavira's Birth ; Page from a Dispersed Kalpa Sutra (Jain Book of Rituals) 15th century India (Gujarat). Mahavira's Birth ; Page from a Dispersed Kalpa Sutra (Jain Book of Rituals) 74987

Yasoda breast-feeding the baby Krishna. Gouache.

Vilaval Ragaputra (), Drawing for a Ragamala (Garland of Melodies). India, Himachal Pradesh, Basohli, circa 1720. Drawings. Pencil on paper; red tint

Queen Vantu with a Hookah Attended by a Maid Indian. , ca. 1750-1780. Opaque watercolor on paper, sheet: 10 5/16 x 7 1/4 in. (26.2 x 18.4 cm). Asian Art ca. 1750-1780

The scene takes place outside Ayodhya, in the uncultivated forest zone where ascetics dwell. The boys raise their hands respectfully as they listen to the divine sage Vishvamitra, who has brought them to the forest zone in order to kill the demons who disturb holy men. Vishvamitra wears an animal skin over one shoulder and carries a water pot (kundika). With their bows and arrows slung across their bodies, the brothers have long wavy sideburns, large lotus-shaped eyes, and richly colored jamas. All three figures bear red Vaishnava tilaks (forehead marks). The landscape is a glowing field of golden yellow, sandwiched between a thin strip of cloudy sky and a narrow band of tufted grass. A deep maroon river borders the foreground. With its shaggy tufts of dark green, the tree is made marvelous by a vine of absolutely massive fig leaves. Origin: Bahu or Jammu, Himachal Pradesh state, India. Opaque watercolor on paper. Date: ca. 1680-1690. Museum: Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler

Miniature Painting on Paper, Ragini Nad Bhairavi, naltdwara school Copyright: xBhagwandasxRupani/DinodiaxPhotox

Miniature Painting on Paper, Gujri, naltdwara school Copyright: xBhagwandasxRupani/DinodiaxPhotox

The March Against Jarasandha, Folio from a Bhagavata Purana (Ancient Stories of the Lord). India, Madhya Pradesh, Malwa, first half of 17th century. Drawings; watercolors. Opaque watercolor, ink, and gold on paper

Krishna and Balrama seated with Nanda and Yashodha. Date/Period: Between 1801 and 1900. Author: UNKNOWN.

Rama and Sita in the forest from the Ramayana

Krishna's Dance of Delight (Rasa Lila). India, Rajasthan, Bundi, circa 1675-1700. Drawings; watercolors. Opaque watercolor and gold on paper

Shah Jahan (also spelled Shah Jehan, Shahjehan, Urdu: شاه جہاں, Persian: شاه جهان) (January 5, 1592 - January 22, 1666) (Full title: His Imperial Majesty Al-Sultan al-'Azam wal Khaqan al-Mukarram, Malik-ul-Sultanat, Ala Hazrat Abu'l-Muzaffar Shahab ud-din Muhammad Shah Jahan I, Sahib-i-Qiran-i-Sani, Padshah Ghazi Zillu'llah, Firdaus-Ashiyani, Shahanshah—E--Sultanant Ul Hindiya Wal Mughaliya, Emperor of India ) was the emperor of the Mughal Empire in the Indian Subcontinent from 1628 until 1658. The name Shah Jahan comes from Persian meaning 'King of the World'. He was the fifth Mughal emperor after Babur, Humayun, Akbar, and Jahangir. The period of his reign was the golden age of Mughal architecture. Shahanshah Shah Jahan erected many splendid monuments, the most famous of which is the legendary Taj Mahal at Agra built as a tomb for his wife, Empress Mumtaz Mahal. The Pearl Mosque and many other buildings in Agra, the Red Fort and the Jama Masjid Mosque in Delhi, mosques in Lahore, ex

Ascension of Muhammad: The Prophet is Riding on a Buraq, the Archangel Gabriel Hovers Before Him 16th C. Sultan Muhammad (active ca. 1505-1550 Persian) Book miniature British Museum, London, England

King Kamsa and Akrura, Anonymous, 1820 - 1849 Indian miniature. drawing King Kamsa sits on the left on a taboeret with Akrura, a third figure sits with his face to the couple, on a smaller taboeret on the right is another pair, between the two taboerets the same man is as the sitting figure at Kamsa, but now his face turned in the opposite direction and runs away from the couple with a lifted left hand. Above the figures is an inscription in Old Indian script in black ink. Nepal paper brush

Shahab-ud-din Muhammad Khurram Shah Jahan I (1592 -1666), or Shah Jahan, from the Persian meaning king of the world, was the fifth Mughal ruler in India and a favourite of his legendary grandfather Akbar the Great. He is best known for commissioning the Phadshahnamah as a chronicle of his reign, and for the building of the Taj Mahal in Agra as a tomb for his wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Under Shah Jahan, the Mughal Empire attained its highest union of strength and magnificence. The opulence of Shah Jahans court and his famous Peacock Throne was the wonder of all the European travelers and ambassadors. His political efforts encouraged the emergence of large centers of commerce and crafts-such as Lahore, Delhi, Agra and Ahmedabad-linked by roads and waterways to distant places and ports. He moved the capital from Agra to Delhi. Under Shah Jahan's rule, the Red Fort and Jama Masjid in Delhi were built, the Shalimar Gardens of Lahore, sections of the Lahore Fort and his father's mausoleum.

Rama and Lakshmana Search in Vain for Sita: Illustrated folio from a dispersed Ramayana series ca. 1680-90 India, Rajasthan, Mewar "Ranging the woods, hills, rivers and lakes on every side, searching the plateaus, caves and summits of the mountain, these two sons of Dasaratha could not find Sita anywhere." The artist has provided a literal rendering of this passage from the Ramayana describing each desperate endeavor to find Sita, their mounting distress conveyed by Rama's animated gestures. A pair of white storks evokes the bond of lovers, alluding to Rama's apparent loss. The usual blue ground adds to the sobriety of the scene. The Mewari artist could not resist celebrating the variegated foliage of the forest landscape and inserting the startling white horizon line between earth and sky.. Rama and Lakshmana Search in Vain for Sita: Illustrated folio from a dispersed Ramayana series. India, Rajasthan, Mewar. ca. 1680-90. Ink and opaque watercolor on paper. Paintings

Krishna and Balarama on Their way to Mathura, Folio from a Dispersed Bhagavata Purana Series Indian. Krishna and Balarama on Their way to Mathura, Folio from a Dispersed Bhagavata Purana Series, ca. 1725. Opaque watercolor and gold on paper, sheet: 9 1/2 x 12 in. (24.1 x 30.5 cm). This is an illustration from the Bhagavata Purana, a lengthy Hindu scripture dedicated to the god Krishna, who is said to have lived on earth as a prince. It depicts an episode from Krishnas youth, much of which was spent in hiding in the cowherding community of Vrindavan. Eventually he had to leave this idyllic rural setting and return to his familys kingdom at Mathura, where his evil uncle was ruling unjustly. Krishna (with blue skin) is shown here at the far right with his brother, Balarama (with white skin), riding an oxcart on their way to Mathura. They are accompanied by a group of devotees and along the way encounter religious ascetics, some of whom are bathing in the river. Asian Art ca. 1725

Portrait of Prince Muhammad Buland Akhtar (known as Nur Achhe Sahib) at Prayer ca. 1700-1750 Painting by Bhojraj. Portrait of Prince Muhammad Buland Akhtar (known as Nur Achhe Sahib) at Prayer 447817

A Moorish soldier and wife from Poona. Gouache drawing.

The use and consequences of Bhang, Anonymous, c. 1800 - c. 1825 Indian miniature. drawing The use and consequences of Bhang. Bhang is a drink prepared from marijuana, cannabis. Jaipur paper. gouache (paint) brush drugs

Album of Ragamala. Vasanta (Spring): Krishna dances to playing of Gopis, cow-herding young women devoted to Krishna. 19th century Indian miniature, Rajasthan School with Mughul influence.

Miniature painting of Mughal Emperor Shah jahan Sitting on horse Copyright: xBhagwandasxRupani/DinodiaxPhotox

DURGA MUJER DE SIVA MATA A MAHESHASURA. Location: VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM. LONDON. ENGLAND.

Nanda Requests a Horoscope for Krishna, Page from a Bhagavata Purana series Indian. Nanda Requests a Horoscope for Krishna, Page from a Bhagavata Purana series, ca. 1725. Opaque watercolor and gold on paper, sheet: 9 1/8 x 10 1/2 in. (23.2 x 26.7 cm). Asian Art ca. 1725

Four Princes in Procession Visit a Sage, page from a copy of the Ramayana 1815-1845 Jaipur. Opaque watercolor on paper .

Anonymous watercolor depicting two women standing before a victim shrine, emphasizing the figures and shrine details.

Portrait of Prince Sur Singh Rathor of Bikaner (1594-1631), 1611-13. Northwestern India, Rajasthan, Rajput Kingdom of Bikaner. Gum tempera and gold on paper; page: 20.5 x 13.4 cm (8 1/16 x 5 1/4 in.); miniature: 11.2 x 6.4 cm (4 7/16 x 2 1/2 in.). A young prince stands against a light blue backdrop, dressed in white translucent muslin jama (belted tunic) and yellow trousers. He has a dagger safely tucked in his sash while he holds a long straight sword encased in a black sheath. Religious markings (tilakas) on his forehead, neck, and ear indicate that he was a follower of the Hindu god Vishnu, who was popular among the royal houses of Rajasthan.

late Mughal style miniature drawing in black ink with gilt and tiny red accents. A woman sits on a tree while using a water-pipe and a female attendant stands behind. From an anonymous and untitled collection of Persian love poetry. The copy is undated, but the drawings are typical of provincial Mughal work of north-west India, especially Kashmir, in the 18th century.

Three Indian circus performers. Gouache drawing.

Shan Jahan (1592-1666) was the emperor of the Mughal Empire in the Indian subcontinent from 1628 until 1658. The name Shah Jahan comes from the Persian meaning 'King of the World'. He was the fifth Mughal ruler after Babur, Humayun, Akbar, and Jahangir. While young, he was a favourite of his legendary grandfather Akbar the Great. He is also known as 'Shah Jahan the Magnificent'. The period of his reign is considered the golden age of Mughal expansionby the end of his reign the Mughal Empire covered 3 million square km and most of India. The Shah Jahan era was also a Golden Age in Mughal architecture. He built many splendid monuments, the most famous of which is the legendary Taj Mahal at Agra, built as a tomb for his wife, Empress Mumtaz Mahal. He also had constructed the Red Fort in Delhi and the Pearl Mosque in the Lahore Fort. Mughal period miniature painting from an album featuring portraits of Timur the Great and his descendants, mid-17th century.

Persian Miniatures, Chehel Sotoun Palace, Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran, Asia

Buddha on top of a tiered pavilion. Painting by an Indian artist, 18--.

Lady Wrapping Her Turban. India, Andhra Pradesh, Golconda, 1675-1700. Drawings; watercolors. Opaque watercolor and gold on paper

Akbar (Urdu: جلال الدین محمد اکبر , Hindi: लालुद्दीन मुहम्मद अकबर, Jalāl ud-Dīn Muhammad Akbar), also known as Shahanshah Akbar-e-Azam or Akbar the Great (25 October 1542 - 27 October 1605), was the third Mughal Emperor. He was of Timurid descent; the son of Emperor Humayun, and the grandson of Emperor Babur, the ruler who founded the Mughal dynasty in India. At the end of his reign in 1605 the Mughal empire covered most of the northern and central India. Akbar was thirteen years old when he ascended the Mughal throne in Delhi (February 1556), following the death of his father Humayun. During his reign, he eliminated military threats from the powerful Pashtun descendants of Sher Shah Suri, and at the Second Battle of Panipat he decisively defeated the newly self-declared Hindu king Hemu. It took him nearly two more decades to consolidate his power and bring all the parts of northern and central India into his direct realm. He dominated the whole of the Indian Subcontinent and he ruled

Episodes in the Panchavati Forest, Folio from a Ramayana (Adventures of Rama). India, Gujarat, 1775-1800. Drawings; watercolors. Opaque watercolor and ink on paper

Kali is the Hindu goddess associated with eternal energy. 'She who destroys'. The name Kali comes from kala, which means black, time, death, lord of death, Shiva. Kali means 'the black one'. Since Shiva is called Kala - the eternal time, Kali, his consort, also means 'Time' or 'Death' (as in time has come). Hence, Kali is considered the goddess of time and change. Although sometimes presented as dark and violent, her earliest incarnation as a figure of annihilation still has some influence. Various Shakta Hindu cosmologies, as well as Shakta Tantric beliefs, worship her as the ultimate reality or Brahman. She is also revered as Bhavatarini (literally 'redeemer of the universe'). Kali is represented as the consort of Lord Shiva, on whose body she is often seen standing. She is associated with many other Hindu goddesses like Durga, Bhadrakali, Sati, Rudrani, Parvati and Chamunda. She is the foremost among the Dasa Mahavidyas, ten fierce Tantric goddesses.

Warrior on horseback with lance, Murshidabad, India 17th Century.

Jahangir (Hindi: नूरुद्दी सलीम जहांगीर Urdu: سلیم جهانگیر نورالدینPersian: نورالدین سلیم جهانگیر) (full title: Al-Sultan al-'Azam wal Khaqan al-Mukarram, Khushru-i-Giti Panah, Abu'l-Fath Nur-ud-din Muhammad Jahangir Padshah Ghazi [Jannat-Makaani) (20 September 1569 - 8 November 1627) was the ruler of the Mughal Empire from 1605 until his death in 1627. The name Jahangir is from Persian جهانگیر,meaning 'World Conqueror'. Nur-ud-din or Nur al-Din is an Arabic name which means 'Light of the Faith'. Born as Prince Muhammad Salim, he was the third and eldest surviving son of Mogul Emperor Akbar. Akbar's twin sons, Hasan and Hussain, died in infancy. His mother was the Rajput Princess of Amber, Jodhabai (born Rajkumari Hira Kunwari, eldest daughter of Raja Bihar Mal or Bharmal, Raja of Amber, Rajasthan). Jahangir was a child of many prayers. It is said to be by the blessing of Shaikh Salim Chishti (one of the revered sages of his times) that Akbar's first surviving child, the future Jahang

Nanda Requests a Horoscope for Krishna, Page from a Bhagavata Purana series Indian. Nanda Requests a Horoscope for Krishna, Page from a Bhagavata Purana series, ca. 1725. Opaque watercolor and gold on paper, sheet: 9 1/8 x 10 1/2 in. (23.2 x 26.7 cm). Asian Art ca. 1725

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.

Double-sided Leaf from a Chandana Malayaqiri Varta series Attributed to Karam and Mahata Chandji. Double-sided Leaf from a Chandana Malayaqiri Varta series, 1745. Opaque watercolor and gold on paper, sheet: 11 3/8 x 7 7/8 in. (28.9 x 20.0 cm). Whereas most manuscript paintings made in Rajasthan in the eighteenth century were commissioned by Hindu rulers, this painting was made for a practitioner of the Jain religion, probably a wealthy merchant. The image illustrates a Jain text (though the precise subject is difficult to identify) and includes a small shrine with an icon of a Jain savior, known as a Jina or Tirthankara, on the right. The icon sits cross-legged in a meditative posture, and the temple has two white towers of the classic North Indian form. In a nice detail, a small pool in front of the temple reflects the surrounding architecture. Asian Art 1745

Nasir ud-din Muhammad Humayun (Persian: نصیر الدین محمد همایون; full title: Al-Sultan al-'Azam wal Khaqan al-Mukarram, Jam-i-Sultanat-i-haqiqi wa Majazi, Sayyid al-Salatin, Abu'l Muzaffar Nasir ud-din Muhammad Humayun Padshah Ghazi, Zillu'llah; 7 March 1508 - 22 February 1556) was the second Mughal Emperor who ruled present day Afghanistan, Pakistan, and parts of northern India from 1530-1540 and again from 1555-1556. Like his father, Babur, he lost his kingdom early, but with Persian aid, he eventually regained an even larger one. On the eve of his death in 1556, the Mughal empire spanned almost one million square kilometers. He succeeded his father in India in 1530, while his half-brother Kamran Mirza, who was to become a rather bitter rival, obtained the sovereignty of Kabul and Lahore, the more northern parts of their father's empire. He originally ascended the throne at the age of 22 and was somewhat inexperienced when he came to power. Humayun lost his Indian territories to the P

Indian silk weaver and spinner with wife. Gouache drawing.

Two women make a sacrifice of fruit to Brahma, Anonymous, c. 1750 - c. 1800 print Probably made to an Indian miniature. paper etching Asiatic races and peoples: Indians. sacrifice ~ non-Christian religions. Brahma (supreme being, creator, etc. ~ Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism). temple, shrine ~ Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism

Portrait of Raja Amur Singh of Patiala Indian. , ca. 1830. Opaque watercolor and gold on paper, sheet: 10 11/16 x 7 9/16 in. (27.1 x 19.2 cm). This portrait of the ruler Amur Singh of Patiala, an important Sikh kingdom, shows the king seated on a terrace on a luxurious carpet with a large bolster behind him. At the beginning of the nineteenth century the Punjab region of northern India, previously led by Hindu rulers, was overtaken by rulers who belonged to the Sikh religion. These new leaders borrowed select elements of courtly culture from their predecessors, and they hired many of the same artist families to make portraits for them (other subjects largely fell out of favor). Amur Singhs turban is taller than those of Hindu rulers of the time, because it needs to accommodate his long hair: Sikh men are not supposed to cut their hair, and they wear it bundled on top of their head, wrapped in a turban. Asian Art ca. 1830

Prince and Lady Conversing with a Nobleman, Folio from an Unknown Manuscript. India, Western Rajasthan, 18th century. Manuscripts. Opaque watercolor and silver on paper

A Lady Playing the Tanpura ca. 1735 India (Rajasthan, Kishangarh) As a nayika (archetypal heroine), this figure personifies the ideal of feminine beauty as conceptualized in Indian devotional poetry of the period. She strums a tanpura and wears elaborate jewelry and sheer textiles, clearly placing her as a member of the court. At the same time, there is the allusion that she is Radha, the divine consort of Krishna, who was important to these Kishangarh patrons.. A Lady Playing the Tanpura 38038

A Hindu priest offering a young woman some holy beads. Gouache drawing.

Raja and Ladies at Holi Festival Indian. Raja and Ladies at Holi Festival, ca. 1725. Ink with color on paper, pounced for transfer, sheet: 7 3/16 x 5 3/8 in. (18.3 x 13.7 cm). Asian Art ca. 1725

DARA Shukoh, eldest son of Shah Jahan, Shah Jahan 1592-1666 Mughal emperor of India, and brother of Aurangzeb, 1618-1707 last of great Mughal emperors of India (reigned 1658-1707), Mughal School Indian miniature

Shiva in the guise of Bhairava sits with crossed legs on an elephant he killed, in his left hand he holds a whistle, a snake twists around his upper arm and head, from his forehead rises the Ganges, opposite him kneels Parvati, behind her stands a servant with a basket of food, Her head is reflected in a mirror on the wall, in the background behind the roof of the temple two peacocks are partially visible against a starry night sky with a full moon, above the representation a yellow strip with red ornamental line and inscription in black. Around the representation a green strip with black and white framing lines and around it a dark red glossy border with white framing lines., Bhairava Raga with Shiva, draughtsman: anonymous, Bundi, c. 1700, paper, brush, brush, h 239 mm × w 140 mm

Christ and the Woman of Samaria. Dated: probably 1485. Medium: woodcut, hand-colored in red lake, yellow, green, blue, brown, and gray. Museum: National Gallery of Art, Washington DC. Author: German 15th Century.

Two Hindu musicians and a highly decorated cow with the symbol of Hanuman painted on its forehead. Gouache drawing.

Page from a Dispersed Bhagavata Purana (Ancient Stories of Lord Vishnu) ca. 1630-50 India (Rajasthan, possibly Mewar). Page from a Dispersed Bhagavata Purana (Ancient Stories of Lord Vishnu). India (Rajasthan, possibly Mewar). ca. 1630-50. Ink and opaque watercolor on paper. Paintings

A 19th century painting of King Rajendra Bikram Shah Deva of Nepal

Two women embracing each other as one holds a glass and bottle. Gouache painting by an Indian painter.

Persian couple copulating

Radha and Krishana, 18th cent. INDIA.

The Safavids were one of the most significant ruling dynasties of Persia and established the Twelver school of Shi'a Islam as the official religion of their empire, marking one of the most important turning points in the history of Islam. This Shia dynasty was of mixed ancestry: Kurdish, Azerbaijani, Georgian and Greek, and ruled Iran from 1501 to 1722.

Persian couple copulating

A Hindu praying to a shrine accompanied by a young lady. Gouache drawing.

Persian couple copulating

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