An Elephant and Keeper
Unknown Artist
ca. 1650–60
Medium
Opaque color and gold on paper
Dimensions
Image: 7 1/16 × 8 11/16 in. (18 × 22 cm) Frame: 11 1/2 × 13 1/4 × 3/4 in. (29.2 × 33.7 × 1.9 cm)
Classification
Codices
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Howard Hodgkin Collection, Purchase, Florence and Herbert Irving Acquisitions, Harris Brisbane Dick, and 2020 Benefit Funds; Howard S. and Nancy Marks, Lila Acheson Wallace, and Friends of Islamic Art Gifts; Louis V. Bell, Harris Brisbane Dick, Fletcher, and Rogers Funds and Joseph Pulitzer Bequest; and funds from various donors, 2022
Accession Number
2022.187
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the heart of 17th-century Islamic art *An Elephant and Keeper* (ca. 1650–60) captiv with its delicate portrayal of a majestic elephant guided by its handler. Created by an unknown artist using opaque colors and gold on paper—a hallmark of Persianate and Mughal miniature traditions—this 7 1/16 × 8 11/16 in. image likely originates from a codex, or illustrated manuscript album, blending narrative illustration with exquisite craftsmanship. Elephants held profound cultural symbolism in Islamic South Asia, especially during the Mughal Empire, representing royal power, strength, and spectacle in...