Bichitr was a court painter during the Mughal era and was patronized by Jahangir and Shah Jahan. He incorporated the essence of Western perspective and putti into his work. In this painting, the artist portrays the figures of two greatly influencial political figures of the contemporary time- Emperor Shah Jahan and Asaf Khan. While Shah Jahan was the force behind the growing power of the Mughals in the 17th century, Asaf Khan was the father of Mumtaz Mahal and the elder brother of Empress Nur Jahan. It's evident that Asaf Khan was politically significant because he was the administrative personnel as Grand Vizier i.e the Prime Minister during Jahangir's rule and was instrumental in Shah Jahan's accession to power. In this painting, both the subjects are depicted in a conversation but the high position of the Emperor is depicted using the Mughal imperial traditions of art along with the emerging Western Cherubs. A halo surrounds the head of the Emperor highlighting his divine nature and that light comes from the Holy Father figure painted in the top amongst the clouds. This elaborates how Emperor Shan Jahan was like God's shadow on Earth and emphasises that Asaf Khan, though powerful and wealthy, is below in rank in comparison of the Emperor. This painting shows an amalgamation of Christian ethics of the Holy Trinity in a subtle way despite the Islamic tradition of monotheism. This artwork is important to understand the ethics of the extraordinary talent of Bitchitr as he blends the serene background with the important figures of the King and the Prime Minister. This painting bears testament to the painter's skill as well as the notion of cultural exchange in art.
“Shah Jahan with Asaf Khan” is an artwork from the Mughal master artist Bichitr, and is part of the Late Shah Jahan Album. It depicts the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan with his father in law, Asaf Khan. The work is carefully created to ensure the viewer sees Shah Jahan as the truly powerful one even before the highly powerful vizier Asaf Khan. He is shown to be taller, fitter, and broader than the old Asaf Khan. He is adorned with beautiful jewellery, and is holding the sword, signalling power. A halo surrounds his head, putting him forward as divine royalty, and angels are shown blessing Shah Jahan, to make this connection clearer.
