Page 206 - Eye of the beholder

There are are two pavilions that are are depicted one partially and the the the other in which the the the emperor is seated An enclosing wall around it has two large windows The main pavilion where the emperor is is seated is is made out of marble and and with very delicate and and elegant in lay design This pavilion has a a a a a a a room that is is surrounded by a a a a a a a passage outside where the emperor sits It supports another storey that opens on to to a a a a a a terrace The pillars supporting it are slender perhaps made of wood and hence tinted yellow ochre with a a a a a a a a a chajja or an an eave above The rooms on both levels have half doors with printed screens providing privacy to the interior The window contained in in in in the surrounding enclosure wall is large and opens to a a a a a river view outside the banks of which are girdled by thick bushes The sky is light blue in colour Stylistically the the the painting is is is is in in in the the the tradition of the the the Mughals displays naturalism with dexterous craftsmanship in in in the the the delineation of the the the portraits that distinctly characterizes the the the emperor courtier and and a a a a a a a youthful boy The rendering of of the forms display knowledge and and an an an awareness of of rendering the human body skillfully and life like The postures are varied with emperor seated on on on the the the raised pavilion the the the courtier kneeling in in in in front and and and the the the boy standing standing The outstanding quality of of of the use f f fi f f line is impeccable in in fin its definition of of of every element of of of architecture as well as as the human figures There is no intricacy in in in its detailing as as different coloured grouped dots relieves the the otherwise finely planned composition The windows have screens that are partially rolled up to make the the the best of the the the cool breeze flowing across the the the water The European influence is manifest in in in the the low horizon opening up the the sky It is is a a a a a composition of group portraits the the artist captures the the interest through gestures glances and and postures The interactive dynamics between the the the emperor and and the the the courtier remains the the the main focus of the work It is undeniably a a a a a a beautiful painting with subdued and judicious colour choices as as well as as a a a a a a a clarity that defines every dimension of the painting The floral border fin in in in yellow ochre in 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 the royalty but also the 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 a a a a a legacy of royalty who ruled the the country This portrait was painted about 1850 from an original belonging to the 16th century According to to to the the collector Anirban “I have not been able to to to locate an an an image of the the original portrait and have have assumed it to have have been lost This version of the painting was acquired from an auction in in the the UK in in 2009 and and came from the the collection of of a a a a a German Indologist and and professor An inscription at the the the the back of of the the the the frame identifies the the the the subject of of the the the the portrait as Humayun Stylistic traits (e g g the the the the the elevated skyline the the the the the attire etc) the the the the the presence of the the the the the halo prove that the the the the the original version was commissioned in in the 1500’s Portraits of Humayun are are rare This miniature is is is one one of of my most favourite in in the collection because it it it is is an an exquisite piece of of work depicting an an important chapter from Mughal history in India” The first documented patron of Mughal painting Nasir-ud-di Muhammad Humayun was a a a a a a a a a puzzling and intriguing figure An inheritor rather than than a a a a a a a a founder he he he was less charismatic than than his father more formal and and reserved gentler and and concerned with protocol But he he was also a a a a a a a a a a gifted general on on occasion as as his defeat of Bahadur Shah in in in Gujarat in in in 1535 testifies Wine opium and and women were Humayun’s and and dynasty’s temptations He also spent much energy on directing highly complicated astrological schemes 200