National Museum of Asian Art (Freer Gallery of Art), Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C. — Accession no. F1942.16a
The artwork is an example of a double portrait, wherein two individuals are featured together in a single composition, the two subjects here being the Mughal emperor Jahangir and the Persian ruler Shah Abbas, who, according to Jahangir, was one of the only two people who he considered to be equal to him. The painting is created in the style typical of Mughal miniature paintings, and this scene in particular is painted to depict the opulence of the Mughal emperor in front of the Persian ruler, and is painted using watercolour, ink and gold, and the jewel tones of the painting are juxtaposed with the gold elements, giving the painting a rich feel. The painting also shows Jahangir to be slightly larger than the Shah, implying his higher position. On the top, we see angel-like figures holding the genealogical scroll tracing Jahangir's ancestry. The angels in this case are a European influence through the Jesuits present at the court. The ornate borders were a later addition by Muhammad Sadiq, painted over a century later.
What is interesting is the fact that this is a fictional depiction and is not based on any real life event. The artist to whom the work is attributed to: Bhishan Das, was sent by Jahangir to the Persian court, and it is there that Bishan Das painted the likeness of the ruler and brought back these paintings to Jahangir's court. Bishan Das was a painter of much renown in Jahangir's court and his portraits of the Shah were considered to be of "excellent likeness" by those in the Persian court.
In the artwork above one can see the Mughal emperor Jahangir entertaining Shah Abbas. There is floral pattern on border and there are plates filled with food suggesting Jahangir is offering Shah Abbas food.
