Emperor Shah Jahan (r. 1628-1658) (verso), Calligraphy (recto), Folio from the Late Shah Jahan Album

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Emperor Shah Jahan (r. 1628-1658) (verso), Calligraphy (recto), Folio from the Late Shah Jahan Album

India, Mughal Empire (verso); Iran (recto), circa 1635 (border: circa 1650) (verso); Iran, circa 1505-1545 (border: India, Mughal Empire, circa 1650) (recto)
Drawings; watercolors
Opaque watercolor, gold, and ink on paper
Sheet: 14 1/2 x 10 in. (36.83 x 25.4 cm); Image (recto): 7 3/4 x 4 in. (19.69 x 10.16 cm); Image (verso): 8 x 4 7/8 in. (20.32 x 12.38 cm)
From the Nasli and Alice Heeramaneck Collection, Museum Associates Purchase (M.78.9.15)
South and Southeast Asian Art
Not currently on public view

Curator Notes

Emperor Shah Jahan (r. 1628-1658) was born in 1592. His birth name was Shihab al-Din Muhammad Khurram. He was the third son of Emperor Jahangir (r. 1605-27)....
Emperor Shah Jahan (r. 1628-1658) was born in 1592. His birth name was Shihab al-Din Muhammad Khurram. He was the third son of Emperor Jahangir (r. 1605-27). Prince Khurram achieved great military success while campaigning for his father, including against the Rajputs of Mewar in 1615, for which he was awarded the title Shah Sultan Khurram; and against the Lodis of the Deccan in 1617, for which he was awarded the title Shah Jahan. During his relatively tranquil reign, the imperial ateliers produced many works of luxurious quality. Paintings commissioned by Shah Jahan tend to be more decorative and formal than those of his predecessors and include numerous exalting portraits of the emperor. This folio is from the Late Shah Jahan Album, which was assembled in circa 1650-1658 and features exquisite figural and arabesque borders made in circa 1640-1650. The nimbate Shah Jahan holds a bejeweled aigrette. He wears an orange-and-gold turban with a feather plume (jigha), a transparent long coat (jama), gold pants with iris sprays, a brocaded waist sash, and brocaded shoes. Around his neck are strands of pearls, emeralds, and spinels, with a ruby and emerald pendant. He wears a ruby and pearl armlet and matching bracelet, several gems-set rings, and an archer’s thumb ring (zihgir; see AC1995.168.1). A push dagger (katar; see M.74.101a-b) is tucked into his jeweled belt. His sword (talwar) with a Shah Jahan-style hilt hangs from a brocaded sword belt. See also M.83.1.3 and M.83.105.21.
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Bibliography

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