"Jahangir and His Vizier, I'timad al-Daula", Folio from the Shah Jahan Album
recto: ca. 1615; verso: ca. 1530–45
Medium
Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper
Dimensions
Overall: H. 15 3/8 in. (39 cm) W. 10 3/16 in. (25.9 cm) Mat: H. 19 1/4 in. (48.9 cm) W. 14 1/4 in. (36.2 cm) Frame: H. 20 1/4 in. (51.4 cm) W. 15 1/4 in. (38.7 cm)
Classification
Codices
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Rogers Fund and The Kevorkian Foundation Gift, 1955
Accession Number
55.121.10.23
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite folio from the Shah Jahan Album captures Emperor Jahangir seated with his trusted vizier, I'timad al-Daula, in a moment of intimate courtly exchange. Created around 1615 by the Mughal artist Manohar, the painting reflects the refined aesthetic of the early seventeenth-century Mughal court in India, where imperial portraits served to affirm political alliances and personal bonds. The verso, featuring calligraphy by Mir 'Ali Haravi from roughly 1530–45, illustrates how such albums often paired contemporary paintings with earlier masterworks, creating a layered dialogue across time...