"Page of Calligraphy Illuminated with Animals and Plants in a Field of Flowers", Folio from the Shah Jahan Album
verso: ca. 1610–15; recto: ca.1535–45
Medium
Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper
Dimensions
H. 15 1/16 in. (38.3 cm) W. 10 5/16 in. (26.2 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
55.121.10.4
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite folio from the Shah Jahan Album exemplifies the refined artistic traditions of the Mughal court in the early seventeenth century. Created during the reign of Emperor Shah Jahan, builder of the Taj Mahal, the album served as a prestigious collection of calligraphy and paintings assembled for imperial appreciation. The recto side features calligraphy by the renowned Persian master Mir 'Ali Haravi from around 1535–45, while the verso illumination, added circa 1610–15 by the artist Nanha, transforms the page into a vibrant scene of animals and plants set within a lush field of flowe...