2009.202.217: Mughal emperor Shah Jahan receives a sparrowhawk from Raja Prithvi Singh of Chamba

Identification and Creation

Object Number

2009.202.217

People

Unknown Artist

Title

Mughal emperor Shah Jahan receives a sparrowhawk from Raja Prithvi Singh of Chamba

Classification

Paintings

Work Type

painting

Date

c. 1650

Places

Creation Place: South Asia, India, Himachal Pradesh

Culture

Indian

Persistent Link

https://hvrd.art/o/217177

Physical Descriptions

Medium

Opaque watercolor and gold on paper

Dimensions

19 x 18 cm (7 1/2 x 7 1/16 in.)

Provenance

Recorded Ownership History

Stuart Cary Welch (by 1973 - 2008,) by descent; to his estate (2008-2009,) gift; to Harvard Art Museum.

Notes:
Object was part of temporary loan to Museum in 1973.

Acquisition and Rights

Credit Line

Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, The Stuart Cary Welch Collection, Gift of Edith I. Welch in memory of Stuart Cary Welch

Accession Year

2009

Object Number

2009.202.217

Division

Asian and Mediterranean Art

Contact

am_asianmediterranean@harvard.edu

Permissions

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Descriptions

Description

In this painting, the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan (r.1627-1658) receives a sparrowhawk from ruler Raja Prithvi Singh of Chamba (1641-64), located in Himachal Pradesh. Shah Jahan’s imperial status is signified by the faintly-drawn halo with emanating gold rays. Raja Prithvi Singh wears a brown falconer’s glove on his right hand on which the sparrow hawk is perched. The bird of prey bears a halsband around its neck and red jesses around its feet. Raja Prithvi Singh holds up a red falcon hood in his left hand.

Exhibition History

• Portraiture in Iran and India, Fogg Art Museum, Cambridge, 12/09/1983 - 02/01/1984

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