Shah Jahan Hunting Blackbuck with Trained Cheetahs
Unknown Artist
1710–15
Medium
Ink, gold, and opaque watercolor on paper
Dimensions
10 7/8 x 16 5/8 in. (27.6 x 42.2 cm)
Classification
Paintings
Culture
Western India, Rajasthan, Udaipur
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Cynthia Hazen Polsky, in celebration of the Museum’s 150th Anniversary, 2019
Accession Number
2019.445.2
Art Historical Context
This vibrant painting from Udaipur, Rajasthan, Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan (r. 1628–58) in a dynamic hunting scene with trained cheetahs pursuing blackbuck antelope. Created around 1710–15 by an unknown artist in the Mewar school of Rajput painting, it the refined miniature tradition of Western India. Rendered in ink, gold, and opaque watercolor paper (10 7/8 x 16 5/8 in.), the work showcases meticulous detailing, with gold accents highlighting the emperor's regal attire and the animals' fluid motion against a stylized landscape. Hunting scenes like this were popular in Rajput courts, blending ...