Simthsonian, National Museum of Asian Art, Washington D.C.
Location History:
1615 A.D: Painted by Abu’l-Hasan at Ajmer, India.
By 1931: In the collection of Demotte, Inc., Paris/New York.
1945–1946: Held by Heeramaneck Galleries, New York.
1946: Purchased by the Freer Gallery of Art from Heeramaneck Galleries through the Charles Lang Freer Endowment.
Present: Freer Gallery of Art Collection, Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art, Washington, D.C.
Attributed to Abu’l-Hasan, one of the accomplished painters of the Mughal court under Jahangir this miniature shows the refined naturalism and formal elegance of the Mughal school during the time of Jahangir. The National Museum of Asian Art says it was made around 1615. It uses watercolor, ink and gold on paper. It also says the painting was made at Ajmer. The picture shows Jahangir sitting on a throne under a cover. He is surrounded by people who work for him. His place on the throne and the middle position show an order. The people around him are different because of the clothes they wear the way they move and the way they stand. The emperors beautiful clothes the ornate ornaments that he wears makes him different from the others. One interesting part is the ball under his feet. This is a sign of power. This makes the painting not just a portrait of a person but a sign & symbol of power of the emperor.
The buildings and the fancy clothes make a place. The dark background makes sure people look at the emperor and the people close to him. Abu’l-Hasan draws the faces the clothes and the decorations carefully. This shows the interest of Jahangir in seeing things in the fine details of life in the court. The painting has two things going on; It shows a meeting and also an idea about being a king. The way the people are arranged shows the Mughal court as a version of the whole empire. Jahangir in the middle and is the most important person.
