The Emperor Jahangir (r.1605-1628)

Details
The Emperor Jahangir (r.1605-1628)
Mughal, 17th century

Gouache heightened with gold on paper, on a hill, the Emperor, wearing orange turban, gold embroidered tunic and pink trousers and boots, stands on a low gold throne, his left arm over his shield and sword, and with his right hand holds up a gold-mounted green orb engraved with lions and deer, fighting armies visible on the green plain below, inscribed in gold above commemorating the victory of Jahangir over his son Shah Jahan, gold margin between black rules, black border with white rule, (slightly creased, small areas of crackelure and very light flaking), the reverse with an 18th century European inscription, mounted
miniature 9¾ x 6in. (24.9 x 15cm.)
Literature
Other versions - No 13. the Emperor's album; lot 193, SPB 14 October 1980.
Tuzuk-i Jahangiri, vol.II, pp. 256-8

Lot Essay

The inscription reads: The auspicious likeness of Nur al-Din Muhammad Jahangir Padshah Ghazi who marshalled his forces on the victorious battlefield on New Year's Day in the 18th(?) year of the auspicious accession, corresponding to the year 1032 Hijri.
Jahangir received news of the position of his son, Shah Jahan's army near Mathura on New Year's Day, 10 March 1623 and was victorious over him a few days later.

This is a copy of a painting sold as part of an album at Sotheby's in 1929. Another version is in the Chester Beatty Library. It would seem to date from the later part of Jahangir's reign since it seems unlikely that a painting of the emperor's defeat would be commissioned under Shah Jahan.

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