Shah Jahan holding a spinel and a long Deccan sword
| Support Type: | Paper |
| Paint Type: | Tempera |
| Current Location: | Cleveland Museum of Art |
| Location History: | c. 1650 – Imperial Mughal Court (Agra/Delhi, India): The painting was originally created by the court artist Hashim as an individual folio page. It was bound into the imperial Late Shah Jahan Album. Mid-17th to Mid-20th Century – Royal Dispersal: Like many imperial Mughal albums, the Late Shah Jahan Album was eventually broken apart, dispersed, or looted during later political instability in the subcontinent. The folio entered the private art market. 1968 – Sotheby's Auction (London, UK): The folio formally reemerged on the international market on 10 July 1968, where it was sold as Lot 18 during the Western, Oriental and Hebrew Manuscripts and Miniatures sale at Sotheby's in London. 1968–2013 – The Benkaim Collection (Beverly Hills, California): It was purchased by prominent American collectors Ralph Benkaim (1914–2001) and Catherine Glynn Benkaim. For decades, it remained part of their world-renowned private collection of Indian miniature paintings in Beverly Hills. 2013 to Present – The Cleveland Museum of Art (Cleveland, Ohio): The painting was officially acquired by the Cleveland Museum of Art through a combined acquisition initiative. It was catalogued under Accession Number 2013.328 through funds provided by the Leonard C. Hanna Jr. Fund, a bequest from Louise T. Cooper, an exchange from Mrs Henry White Cannon, and as a gift honouring Madeline Neves Clapp. |
Shah Jahan Holding a Spinel and a Long Deccan Sword (from the Late Shah Jahan Album) is a Mughal miniature painting produced by Hashim in 1650. This piece of art fits within the Mughal style that was popular in seventeenth-century India. It would have been part of an imperial album created for Emperor Shah Jahan towards the end of his reign. The painting has dimensions of 36.7 × 25.4cm. It has been painted using gum tempera and gold on paper. It displays Shah Jahan in the centre of the painting, standing on a blue background, wearing a light, see-through muslin robe and a highly decorated white turban with a feather attached. He appears to be holding a red gemstone (spinel) in one hand and a long Deccan sword in the other. His head has a bright golden aura representing the sun and moon, and atop his head are two winged figures holding a crown. Along the left side of the painting, there are royal figures holding items of power. At the bottom of the painting, a lion and a deer sit together peacefully, symbolising harmony and fairness. The whole painting was created by Hashim in a highly detailed and refined manner, typical of the Mughal portrait style during Shah Jahan's rule. The emperor's face, beard, jewellery, turban, and translucent robes have been created with great intricacy. The painting has a very elegant and formal look as it has been painted with great detail, vibrant colours and gold. This piece of art has been created to convey ideas such as divine blessing, peace, and power. The aura, crowned figures and peaceful animal pairing all help to create the image Shah Jahan wanted to portray as a fair and godly leader. The spinel is a precious stone to the Mughals due to its protective properties in battle. Overall, this painting shows how advanced the Mughal court was with their art. It shows how intertwined the portraits were with symbolism and power.
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