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"Great Hornbill", Folio from the Shah Jahan Album

Painting by Mansur
Calligrapher Mir 'Ali Haravi
recto: ca. 1540; verso: ca. 1615–20
Not on view
The emperor Jahangir’s memoirs record many of the animals he encountered while on his annual peregrinations, and the reasons he wanted studies of them to be painted. While we do not have such notes for this painting, we can imagine that Jahangir was intrigued by the creature’s size, with a wingspan of up to five feet, and by the loud droning noise it emitted, audible a mile away.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: "Great Hornbill", Folio from the Shah Jahan Album
  • Artist: Painting by Mansur (active ca. 1589–1626)
  • Calligrapher: Mir 'Ali Haravi (died ca. 1550)
  • Date: recto: ca. 1540; verso: ca. 1615–20
  • Geography: Attributed to India
  • Medium: Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper
  • Dimensions: H. 15 1/4 in. (38.7 cm)
    W. 10 1/2 in. (26.7 cm)
  • Classification: Codices
  • Credit Line: Purchase, Rogers Fund and The Kevorkian Foundation Gift, 1955
  • Object Number: 55.121.10.14
  • Curatorial Department: Islamic Art

More Artwork

More Artwork
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"Study of a Nilgai (Blue Bull)", Folio from the Shah Jahan Album, Mansur, Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper
"Study of a Nilgai (Blue Bull)", Folio from the Shah Jahan Album
Mansur
Mir 'Ali Haravi
verso: ca. 1620; recto ca. 1540
"Diving Dipper and Other Birds", Folio from the Shah Jahan Album, Mansur, Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper
"Diving Dipper and Other Birds", Folio from the Shah Jahan Album
Mansur
recto: ca. 1610–15; verso: ca. 1535–45
"Red-Headed Vulture and Long-Billed Vulture", Folio from the Shah Jahan Album, Mansur, Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper
"Red-Headed Vulture and Long-Billed Vulture", Folio from the Shah Jahan Album
Mansur
Mir 'Ali Haravi
verso: ca. 1615–20; recto: ca. 1535–45
Chameleon, Mansur, Opaque watercolor and ink on paper, India (Mughal court at Lahore or Allahabad)
Returned to lender
Chameleon
Mansur
ca. 1595–1600
Peafowl, Mansur, Opaque watercolor on paper, India (Mughal court at Agra)
Returned to lender
Peafowl
Mansur
ca. 1610

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