Princess Nurjahan and Attendants
Unknown Artist
18th century
Medium
Opaque watercolor on paper
Dimensions
H. 11 3/4 in. (29.8 cm) W. 8 5/8 in. (21.9 cm)
Classification
Codices
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1948
Accession Number
48.83
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite 18th-century opaque watercolor on paper, titled *Princess Nurjahan andendants*, offers a glimpse into the opulent world of Mughal courtly life. Nurjahan, the influential empress and wife of Emperor Jahangir the early 17th century, is depicted here in a later illustration, surrounded by elegant women, musicians, and even a graceful deer. The intimate scene, filled with music and leisure, evokes the refined pleasures of royal women in Islamic South Asia, blending historical reverence with artistic fantasy. As a page from a codex—likely part of an illuminated manuscript—this work c...