Skip to main content
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 7

Late 18th Century Moghul Painting of the Emperor Shah Jahan

$2,850
£2,188.53
€2,510.58
CA$4,004.58
A$4,484.88
CHF 2,340.14
MX$54,780.90
NOK 29,773.36
SEK 28,064.96
DKK 18,736.18

About the Item

This very detailed miniature work designed to be set into an album of works for private viewing is of the Great Moghul Emperor Shah Jahan and was painted in about 1780. Born into the great dynasty that ruled India descendant of Tamburlaine and Jenghiz Khan the Moghul empire was long-lived but erratic in its power base and in a dynastic rule. Known for the rise to power through murder and war, the list of rulers before Shah Jahan all related but intent on taking power are numerous and legendary. Shah Jahan himself battled and took control of the empire from his brothers and nephews and he himself was deposed by his son. The reign of Shah Jahan was marked most notably by the death of his beloved wife for whom he built the Taj Mahal as a shrine and tomb. An accomplished builder and lover of fine painting in the Moghul tradition Shah Jahan is pictured in this portrait wearing a jeweled red, gold & black turban, his head is encircled by a green and silvered nimbus or halo, his clothes consist of a gold floral embroidered purple patka with a jeweled Katar secured in his belt and holding a large jeweled curved sword. He stands among flowers and within a landscape setting with buildings and the horizon in the distant background. This is all done in opaque color and gold and silver on paper. The work is in typical form and does not come from his lifetime but shows the ruler at approximately 25 to 30 years of age. Painted about 125 years after his death this painting looks to have come from the Deccan region of India. The colors subdued and controlled are typical of paintings done in this vassal state region and represent the influence Moghul viceroys had over this disputed region trying to recapture the past glories of the empire and intended to keep alive the art of court-sponsored artists and the Persian school of painting introduced by Babur in the 15th century. The style of this painting in broad terms is a classical Indian form and is an ode to the rich history of art in India. These styles can be divided individually into Rajput, Moghul, Pahari, and Deccani but with this late work, a convergence and mixture of styles of the various cultural traditions is somewhat evident. This painting was purchased in India and was given as a gift to the previous owners as a gift in 1991 on the occasion of their wedding and subsequent honeymoon to India.
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 15.25 in (38.74 cm)Width: 12.25 in (31.12 cm)Depth: 1 in (2.54 cm)
  • Materials and Techniques:
  • Place of Origin:
  • Period:
  • Date of Manufacture:
    1780
  • Condition:
    Wear consistent with age and use.
  • Seller Location:
    Hudson, NY
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU811313032732

More From This Seller

View All
Islamic Illuminated Manuscript Pages
Located in Hudson, NY
This pair of manuscript pages are 18th century and are done it water colour and gauche. The images are of people in landscapes and the colors are still...
Category

Antique 18th Century Unknown Paintings

Materials

Paper

A late 18th Century Italian Painting
Located in Hudson, NY
This lovely and decorative painting of peasants in a bucolic setting with numerous farm animals is typical of the period and is designed to illustrate happier moments and a getting b...
Category

Antique Late 18th Century Italian Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Wood

19th Century Italian Oil Painting in the Manner of Antonio Panini
Located in Hudson, NY
This fine old painting is a typical pastiche of the kind popular throughout Italy and the world in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. The most commonly associated artist who really m...
Category

Antique 19th Century Italian Baroque Revival Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Wood

Collage of Classical Roman Figure
Located in Hudson, NY
An amazing depiction of a classical male figure done completely of collage of various torn papers. In a deep, highly carved frame with a grey ta...
Category

20th Century Unknown Paintings

Materials

Paper

Two 19th Century Oil on Board Paintings After Pompeian Fresco
Located in Hudson, NY
These two paintings, considered tourist art produced in Naples Italy in the late 19th century, are reinterpretations of the frescos found in the excavations of Pompei. The painting i...
Category

Antique Late 19th Century Italian Paintings

Materials

Wood

Fine Large Late 18th Century or Early 19th Century French Academic Drawing
Located in Hudson, NY
This fine drawing while unsigned is an excellent example of sketch work done in sanguine as preparatory work for large finished paintings. Created in France during the days of artist...
Category

Antique Late 18th Century French Neoclassical Drawings

Materials

Wood, Paper

You May Also Like

Antique 18Th C Indian Rajput Miniature Mughal Painting
Located in Long Island City, NY
An antique late 18th century Indian miniature painting with a traditional scene of social life. In the center of the composition is an Indian Raja proudly seated in a red palanquin carried by his servants. In front and behind the palanquin are the rulers guards with spears in their hands. This colorful image belongs to the Rajput school, 16th to 19th centuries, spread in Central India and Rajasthan on the territory of the Rajput principalities. Its main centers are Bundi, Mewar, Marwar, Malwa, Kishangarh. Matted and framed. Antique Indian Miniature, Illustration, Vintage Oriental Art...
Category

Antique Late 18th Century Unknown Paintings

Materials

Paint

Antique Indian Mughal Mixed Media Miniature Painting
Located in Long Island City, NY
An antique Indian Mughal Art Jaipur School mixed media, gouache and gold leaf, miniature painting. The artwork depicts a scene with Krishna and the Gopis in a garden. Framed. Collect...
Category

Antique 19th Century Unknown Paintings

Materials

Paint

Antique Indian Mughal Empire Miniature Painting
Located in Long Island City, NY
An antique Indian Mughal Empire miniature painting executed in gouache and embellished with gold on paper, portrays a captivating court scene wherein a ruler engages with nobles. The...
Category

Antique Early 19th Century Unknown Paintings

Materials

Paint

Antique Indian Mughal Mixed Media Miniature Painting
Located in Long Island City, NY
An antique Indian Mughal Art mixed media, gouache and gold leaf, miniature painting. The artwork depicts a courtyard campaign scene with Maharaja, Deity, and warriors. Framed. Collec...
Category

Antique 19th Century Unknown Paintings

Materials

Paint

18th Century Mughal School Indian Portrait Miniature Painting
Located in Atlanta, GA
Indian, 18th or early 19th century. This exquisite 18th-century Mughal School miniature painting is a masterful example of the rich artistic tradition that flourished under the Mugh...
Category

Antique 18th Century Indian Anglo-Indian Paintings

Materials

Gold Leaf

Antique Indian Mughal Mixed Media Miniature Painting
Located in Long Island City, NY
An antique Indian Mughal Art mixed media, gouache and gold leaf, miniature painting. The artwork depicts a courtyard scene with animals and servants. Framed. Collectible Oriental Isl...
Category

Antique 19th Century Unknown Paintings

Materials

Paint