The Youth Accidentally Hits the Target, Page from a dispersed copy of the Gulistan by Sa’di, circa 1595–1600, or later, India, Mughal period (1526–1857), opaque watercolor and gold on paper, Gift of John J. Emery, 1951.299
The artwork titled "Youth Accidentally Hits Target" is an outstanding Mughal painting made by the court painter Farrukh Chela between 1595 and 1600 CE. Made using opaque watercolors and gold, the painting is based on one of the manuscripts of the Persian literary masterpiece called Gulistān (Garden of Roses) composed by the famous poet Sa‘di. The painting is currently on display in the Cincinnati Art Museum. The painting conveys a funny moral story about fate, skill, and human pride. The painting depicts a contest in which more than four hundred skilled archers try to hit the target that has been placed at the top of a vertical pole. While all of them fail, a young boy shooting arrows blindly hits the exact center of the target. Farrukh Chela gained renown at the court of Akbar because of the peculiar and expressive style he adapted and often warped. In this folio, his trademark can be observed in the dynamic arrangement of the figures, lively facial expressions and elaborately adorned surroundings. The artwork has been created by means of mostly bright colors and thin gold elements that give shape to numerous pavilions, vibrant costumes and numerous spectators. A historical tear on the left bottom edge caused part of the figure of the young boy to disappear. Only his hand with the wooden bow remained created the impression of a hidden archer. The artist demonstrates the skill in space awareness as he shows the end path of the successful arrow. The arrow goes through the circle at the top of the pavilion piercing the borderline of this folio which creates the impression of expansion of the event beyond the paper.
This 400-year-old Mughal painting uses a funny story to show that luck often beats practice and pride. In the contest, over four hundred expert archers fail to hit a target on a tall pole, but a young boy shoots completely blindly and hits the exact centre. The artist, Farrukh Chela, made the scene come alive with bright colours, gold details, and excited crowds, even painting the winning arrow breaking past the border of the picture. Interestingly, an old tear at the bottom of the paper accidentally erased the boy's body, leaving only his hand holding the bow. This lucky damage makes the archer look like an invisible ghost, reinforcing the story's main point that mysterious fate, not human ego controls the outcome.
