Portrait of an Aging Man
Unknown Artist
c. 1700
Medium
Ink and gum tempera on paper
Dimensions
18 × 13.3 cm
Classification
Drawing
Department
Indian and Southeast Asian Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Cornelia Blakemore Warner Fund
Accession Number
1968.41
About this artwork
This sensitive portrait survives as a fragment, part of a study for a larger painting. This man’s Mughal tunic, with a katar dagger tucked into the sash, indicates that he is a noble, probably Hindu, because the tunic is tied under the left arm. The gesture of his right hand—just a ghost of an indication—and slightly parted lips suggest that he is making a request. His upright posture reveals an inner strength and dignity despite the affliction to his eyes, which seem no longer able to see.