Portrait of Emperor Alamgir (Aurangzeb)
Unknown Artist
c. 1700
Medium
Gum tempera and gold on paper
Dimensions
sheet: 7.9 × 5.3 cm · painting only: 6 × 3.1 cm
Classification
Painting
Department
Indian and Southeast Asian Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund
Accession Number
1944.498
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Appearing aged and benevolent, the sixth emperor of the Mughal dynasty in India sits at the jharokha window, in the attitude of dispensing favor on his subjects. Marked by a carpet draped over the railing as seen from the exterior of a palace, the jharokha window is where the emperor would come to show himself to the public. His halo indicates that he has divine grace behind him. This small portrait would have been gifted to a loyal supporter by order of the emperor.