Page 209 - Eye of the beholder

His reign was ill ill fated as as his three brothers were were a a a a a a constant threat but worse still were were the the Afghans led by Sher Shah Sur an an an erstwhile noble of Babur who seized Bengal and challenged Humayun Humayun for the rest of Hindustan which he he ultimately did in in in 1539 making Humayun Humayun a a a a a a refugee untill he he found a a a a a a a a a safe haven in in the Safavid ruler’s court of Shah Tahmasp He regained his throne in in in 1555 but dies the following year in in in 1556 Humayun’s choice of Persian artists Abdus Samad and Mir Sayyid Ali was consistent to naturalism already apparent in Babur’s prose Of all Shah Tahmasp artists Mir Sayyid Ali was the the most intelligent and sharp observer of of of the the reality capable of of of reproducing textures of of of any object from fur metal or or even an odd bump on a a a a a a nose Abdus Samad was less gifted but more flexible He was responsible for one of the illustrations from Timur Nama that has survived which Humayun commissioned while stationed at at Kabul It was grand in in scale sumptuous in in colour and an an absolute reflection of Humayun’s royal taste This particular painting is is a a a a a a a a a a a major monument of early Mughal art thus establishing Humayun as an aesthete Humayun’s portrait is in in three quarter profile profile and and he stands in in profile profile with a a a a a a blue nimbus around his head instead of gold He is is very simply dressed wearing a a a a a a a a white jama and yellow boots A shawl is is is draped around his neck in in a a a a a a a combination of brown green and orange His right hand holds a a a a a a a white flower and and and the left rests on his sword There is is also a a a a a a a shield and and and a a a a a a a sword hanging from around his his neck reaching down to his his knees The The turban on his head is is simple with two feathers attached to it it The The eyes are dreamy and look in in the distance while his moustache and and beard gives him a a a a a a commanding presence It is is is an an an intriguing portrait of of of a a a a a a a a a a a a a Mughal monarch shorn of of of an an an aura of of of aristocracy and appearing more like a a a a a a a a a noble courtier The background is plain without a a a a a a a a a hint f landscape or or royal palace A white patch patch of band can be seen at at at at the the top while at at at at the the bottom is a a a a a a a yellow patch patch PROVINCIAL MUGHAL
A A A A A A A A A COUPLE WITH ATTENDANT ON VERANDA FROM AWADH
The painting belonging to 19th century from the region of Awadh is a a a a a water colour on on on Wasli paper Awadh or or Oudh located in in the the northeastern province of Uttar Pradesh was once ruled by the the the Nawabs of of Awadh (1722–1856) who gained autonomy during the the the disintegration of of the the the Mughal Empire Though they they achieved their independence they they had to contend with the the the the rise of of the the the East East India India Company After a a a a a a a a decisive victory in in the the the Battle of of Buxar in in 1764 the the the East East India India Company used Awadh as as an an effective buffer state against encroaching powers such as as the Marathas and the Rohillas The art of Awadh Awadh underscores this complicated connected history with Awadhi miniature painting in in in in particular characterized as eclectic weaving a a a a a a a a a a hybrid of Persian Mughal Indic and European visual vocabularies A testament to the interregional dialogue occurring within the the country at at the the time Awadhi miniatures drew from a a a a a a a variety of painting techniques and were overall invested in in the depiction of "light and and shadows and and a a a a a a a more accurate rendition of of volume and space" Many of of the artists migrated to cities within Awadh such as Faizabad and and Lucknow after the the ruler of Persia Nadir Shah sacked Delhi and and devastated the the Mughal army in 1739 At this juncture there was an enmeshed network of artistic patronage spurred by by courtly elites and also by by European traders Awadh court court witnessed an an an influx of artists talented and skilled having lost patronage with the the declining power of the the Mughal Empire 203