"Princely Hawking Party"
The painting is attributed to Mirza Ali, who was active from 1525 to 1575. He was the son of Sultan Muhammad, one of the artists who worked at the court of Shah Tahmasp. The painting is executed in the Persian miniature style, which was characterized by great precision in drawing and a strong focus on details. The painting dates to around 1570 and depicts a rest during a royal hunting expedition. In the center of the scene, a group of people are gathered around large rocks. Among them are two falconers in the foreground. One of them has a falcon perched on his hand, while the other gestures toward him. In the center, a man sits on the rocks with one arm extended, holding the chin of a bare-chested boy. The boy’s arms bear burn marks, indicating that he is a Sufi who burned himself as an expression of his love for God. In the background, there is a gray horse carrying a blue saddle decorated with brightly colored flowers. It appears to be carrying supplies for the journey. A tree covers the scene, with several birds perched on it.
The painting is surrounded by a wide decorative area containing finely detailed depictions of animals, birds, and flowers, emphasizing the natural setting of the scene. Also It is surrounded by another decorative border of abstract gold-flecked marbling without any defined figures.
This page forms the left half of a two-page composition, with the other page held by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
The painting is executed in ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper. It is housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, but it is not currently on view.
Attributed to Mirza Ali (c. 1570), the Princely Hawking Party is a brilliant contrast between the idle life of the royal hunting party and the mystical themes of piety. While the image is filled with symbols of high social status, fine clothing, and luxurious nature, the real subject of the painting is hidden in its central idea. Indeed, the central idea of the miniature is reflected in the image of a man holding the chin of a bare-chested boy. Burn marks on the child’s skin suggest that the boy is a follower of Sufis who practices self-flagellation. Thus, the man’s act of devotion can be seen as an expression of mystical love, the ultimate goal of which is the achievement of the Divine. The boy’s devotion to God is an example of ishq-e haqiqi, while the man’s feelings to the boy represent ishq-e majaazi. However, the mystical themes are covered with the images of luxury and royalty. The painter used the natural landscape at the edges of the picture, a horse carrying gifts, and expensive fabrics to create the scene of royal hunting. Altogether, these details give the impression of lavish but superficial life in the court. Thus, the picture suggests that an individual needs to seek a higher meaning beyond royal privileges.
