Opaque watercolour & gold leaf on paper
Bundi Artist, Circa 1750
Painting: 18 x 23.5 cms
Page: 20.5 x 26.5 cms
In this portrait the nobleman wears a four-pointed jama, the chakdar jama.
This jama was in vogue in Akbar's reign (r.1556-1605) but continued to be
in style in many provincial centres long after Akbar's death. This together
with the shaded armpits, were characteristics of Mughal painting in the 16th
& early 17th century, would indicate that this mid 17th century portrait
might refer to a nobleman of an earlier period. The colours used by the artist
in the clothes of the nobleman set against a rich blue background achieve
a magnificence that is exceptional.
