#bichitr

[nobrashfestivity]

Bichitr (Indian, active ca. 1610–60) Portrait of the Elephant 'Alam Guman ca. 1640 Opaque watercolor and gold on paper

[exedras]

Shah-Jahan receives his three eldest sons and Asaf Khan during his accession ceremonies, 1600s

This illuminated miniature is part of the Padshahnama, or the “Chronicle of the King of the World”.

A Mughal watercolor, ink and gold leaf painting created by Bichitr between 1630 and 1657.

[the-met-art]

"Portrait of Raja Bikramajit (Sundar Das)", Folio from the Shah Jahan Album by Bichitr, Islamic Art

Medium: Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper

Purchase, Rogers Fund and The Kevorkian Foundation Gift, 1955 Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY

http://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/451257

[artfoli]

Details of Padshahnama plate 10 : Shah-Jahan receives his three eldest sons and Asaf Khan during his accession ceremonies, c. 1600's, by Bichitr

[artfoli]

Aurangzeb Holds Court, c. 1660, believed to be by artist Bichitr.

[dumbbitchhour]

Bichitr (painting), Mir'Ali Heravi (calligrapher), Portrait of Raja Bikramajit (Sundar Das), c. 1620 (recto), c. 1540 (verso) x

[themuseumwithoutwalls]

MWW Artwork of the Day (8/12/17) Attributed to Bichitr (Indian, active c. 1610–60) Portrait of the Elephant 'Alam Guman (c. 1640) Opaque watercolor and gold on paper, 46 x 32 cm. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (Harris Brisbane Dick Fund)

Persian inscription (in nasta'liq script in gold cartouche, possibly in Shah Jahan’s hand): "Likeness of 'Alam Guman Gajraj [the arrogant one of the earth, king of elephants] whose value is one lakh [a hundred thousand rupees]" Along with seventeen other elephants from Mewar, this famous tusker was presented to the Mughal emperor Jahangir during the New Year celebrations of March 21, 1614. In his memoirs, Jahangir states: "on the second day of the New Year, knowing it propitious for a ride, I mounted ['Alam Guman] and scattered about much money." Elephants were among the prized possession of the Indian courts, and their portraiture falls into the larger Mughal practice of meticulously recording the treasures of the court.

(from the MMA catalog)

For more Indian and Non-Western artworks, see these MWW Special Collections: * MWW Non-Western Painting Gallery * MWW Non-Western Sculpture & Architecture

[the-met-art]

Page of Calligraphy by Bichitr via Islamic Art

Medium: Opaque watercolor and gold on paper

Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1996 Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY

http://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/455048