Hindus Conversing before a Shrine
Unknown Artist
17th century
Medium
Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper
Dimensions
Painting: H. 8 1/8 in. (20.6 cm) W. 5 5/8 in. (14.3 cm) Page: H. 12 in. (30.5 cm) W. 8 1/4 in. (21 cm) Mat: H. 19 1/4 in. (48.9 cm) W.14 1/4 in. (36.2 cm)
Classification
Codices
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of George D. Pratt, 1925
Accession Number
25.83.3
Tags
Art Historical Context
**Hindus Conversing before a Shrine** This delicate 17th-century painting captures a serene moment of Hindus gathered before a shrine, engaged in conversation while some enjoy a hookah. Men and women, rendered with intimate detail, evoke everyday life in Mughal-era India, where such scenes blended religious devotion with social ritual. The small scale—8⅛ by 5⅝ inches—suggests it originated as a folio page from a codex or album, a format prized for personal contemplation. Created with ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper, the artwork exemplifies the refined techniques of Indian miniature...