Page 206 - Eye of the beholder

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There are two pavilions that are depicted one partially and the other in which the emperor is seated. An enclosing wall around it has two large windows. The main pavilion where the emperor is seated is made out of marble and with very delicate and elegant in lay design. This pavilion has a room that is surrounded by a passage outside where the emperor sits. It supports another storey that opens on to a terrace. The pillars supporting it are slender perhaps made of wood and hence tinted yellow ochre with a chajja or an eave above. The rooms on both levels have half doors with printed screens providing privacy to the interior. The window contained in the surrounding enclosure wall is large and opens to a river view outside, the banks of which are girdled by thick bushes. The sky is light blue in colour.
Stylistically the painting is in the tradition of the Mughals displays naturalism with dexterous craftsmanship in the delineation of the portraits that distinctly characterizes the emperor, courtier and a youthful boy. The rendering of the forms display knowledge and an awareness of rendering the human body skillfully and life like. The postures are varied with emperor seated on the raised pavilion, the courtier kneeling in front and the boy standing. The outstanding quality of the use f line is impeccable in its definition of every element of architecture as well as the human figures. There is no intricacy in its detailing as different coloured grouped dots relieves the otherwise finely planned composition. The windows have screens that are partially rolled up to make the best of the cool breeze flowing across the water. The European influence is manifest in the low horizon opening up the sky.
It is a composition of group portraits; the artist captures the interest through gestures, glances and postures. The interactive dynamics between the emperor and the courtier remains the main focus of the work. It is undeniably a beautiful painting with subdued and judicious colour choices, as well as a clarity that defines every dimension of the painting. The floral border in yellow ochre in no way detracts from the miniature.
PORTRAIT OF HUMAYUN The culture of portrait painting was brought by the Mughals whose innumerable portraits of not only the royalty but also the nobility had become common place. This practice was later taken up by many Rajput feudal lords, thus leaving to posterity not only their physiognomic appearance but a legacy of royalty who ruled the country.
This portrait was painted about 1850 from an original belonging to the 16th century. According to the collector Anirban, “I have not been able to locate an image of the original portrait, and have assumed it to have been lost. This version of the painting was acquired from an auction in the UK in 2009, and came from the collection of a German Indologist and professor. An inscription at the back of the frame identifies the subject of the portrait as Humayun. Stylistic traits (e.g. the elevated skyline, the attire etc), the presence of the halo prove that the original version was commissioned in the 1500’s. Portraits of Humayun are rare. This miniature is one of my most favourite in the collection because it is an exquisite piece of work depicting an important chapter from Mughal history in India”.
The first documented patron of Mughal painting Nasir-ud-di Muhammad Humayun was a puzzling and intriguing figure. An inheritor rather than a founder, he was less charismatic than his father, more formal and reserved, gentler and concerned with protocol. But he was also a gifted general on occasion, as his defeat of Bahadur Shah in Gujarat in 1535 testifies. Wine, opium and women were Humayun’s and dynasty’s temptations. He also spent much energy on directing highly complicated astrological schemes.