Los Angeles County Museum of Art Museum No: M.81.8.9
‘General Ghazi al-Din Bahadur Khan Firuz Jang I’ by Haider Beg is a regal depiction of the Bukharan General Ghazi al-Din Bahadur Khan Firuz Jang I, a leading military officer under the employment of the Mughal Empire under Aurangzeb. He is shown before a Mughal-style pale green background with flowering plants on the ground. He is wearing a turban, a jama(white coat) with roses and rose-colored pleats, orange and golden striped trousers, a yellow and green waist sash with irises, and brocade shoes. A katar (punch dagger) and a sword are present beside and a shield suspended from a shoulder strap. The painting is mounted with 18th-century borders embossed in gold with figural and landscape motifs. The verso has beautifully written calligraphy, surrounded by soft, delicate flowers. Ghazi al-Din Bahadur Khan Firuz Jang I, also known simply as Ghaziuddin Khan, was a powerful general, noted for his battles mostly in the Deccan, such as the siege of Bijapur(1685), and Siege of Golconda and capture of Hyderabad(1687). Ghaziuddin was a key noble under Aurangzeb, who tried especially hard to turn the noble and his family into his supporters. He served as the governor of Berar subah under Aurangzeb, and became the governor of Gujarat subah under Bahadur Shah. The work was created by Haidar Beg, Roshan Qalam or Haidar Beg of the Golden Pen. Haidar was a great artist working under the Mughals, and was known not just for his art, but for his impressive calligraphy skills, which we see on display in the vers side of the painting.
The artwork by Haider Beg depicts the figure of the Uzbek general, Ghazi al-Din Bahadur Khan Firuz Jang I, who served at the court of the Mughal emperor, Aurangzeb. Colors of a cool tone are used, with intricate floral motifs dominating the painting. The General is in his battle attire, carrying a punch dagger and sword with a shield on his left side. He carries a white handkerchief in his right hand. The design includes small light pink roses in his white jama, a yellow and green bordered sash, and an orange striped churidar with floral designed yellow jutti.
The artwork is an impeccable description and depiction of an attire of a Mughal general and propagates Mughal court ethos.
