Squirrels in a Plane Tree, with a hunter attempting to climb the tree..
| Support Type: | Paper |
| Paint Type: | Gouache |
| Current Location: | India Office Library and Records, British Library, London, Johnson Album 1, no. 30. |
| Location History: | 1605-1608: Mughal India 1807- Purchased by Richard Johnson Collection Present- India Office Library, British Library, London |
At glance Abu’l Hasan’s painting titled Squirrels in a Plane Tree looks like a lively picture of nature.. When you look closer you see that Squirrels in a Plane Tree is full of hidden meaning. The big plane tree, called chenar takes up most of the picture. Its light trunk splits into a canopy of brown leaves. Inside that canopy squirrels, birds and other small animals move around at heights. It feels like the whole scene is alive not just a still drawing of plants. The British Library says that Squirrels in a Plane Tree was made with gouache and gold and it belongs to Abu’l Hasan. The painting is dated 1605–08. A tiny barefoot child tries to climb the tree. This small figure is the striking part of Squirrels in a Plane Tree. The child looks very small compared to the tree and the animals seem not to notice. That creates a tension between what humans want to do and what nature does on its own. Some scholars have said that the small figure is not a squirrel hunter. They point out that the squirrels in Squirrels in a Plane Tree look like the ones from pictures and that the whole scene might have a deeper meaning. Because of all this Squirrels in a Plane Tree is more than a natural‑history drawing. The careful detail, the size and the European style show that the Jahangiri atelier was very curious about many cultures. The unclear meaning of Squirrels, in a Plane Tree also makes the viewer think about how humans fit into the world of nature.