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"Page of Calligraphy Illuminated with Animals and Plants in a Field of Flowers", Folio from the Shah Jahan Album

Painting by Nanha
Calligrapher Mir 'Ali Haravi
verso: ca. 1610–15; recto: ca.1535–45
Not on view
Many of the pages of calligraphy have been attributed to Mir 'Ali of Herat, a famed calligrapher trained in the style of the great Persian calligrapher, Sultan 'Ali of Mashhad. The latter was known both for his poetry, primarily composed in quatrains, and his calligraphy, the majority of which is in Persian. Mir 'Ali, an artist of the Timurid court, was greatly admired, and avidly collected, by Jahangir and Shah Jahan.
As seen here, works of calligraphy and painting from earlier eras were commonly included in Mughal-era albums and reset within contemporary Mughal margins. In this case, the margin, as well as the illumination surrounding the calligraphy, probably date from the seventeenth century, and the decoration of the delicately rendered flowering plants and grazing animals accords with such a dating.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: "Page of Calligraphy Illuminated with Animals and Plants in a Field of Flowers", Folio from the Shah Jahan Album
  • Artist: Painting by Nanha
  • Calligrapher: Mir 'Ali Haravi (died ca. 1550)
  • Date: verso: ca. 1610–15; recto: ca.1535–45
  • Geography: Made in India
  • Medium: Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper
  • Dimensions: H. 15 1/16 in. (38.3 cm)
    W. 10 5/16 in. (26.2 cm)
  • Classification: Codices
  • Credit Line: Purchase, Rogers Fund and The Kevorkian Foundation Gift, 1955
  • Object Number: 55.121.10.4
  • Curatorial Department: Islamic Art

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Portrait of Kuchal Oghlan: Folio from Salim's Album, Nanha, Opaque watercolor and gold on paper
Portrait of Kuchal Oghlan: Folio from Salim's Album
Nanha
ca.1595–1600
"Portrait of Maharaja Bhim Kanwar", Folio from the Shah Jahan Album, Nanha, Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper
"Portrait of Maharaja Bhim Kanwar", Folio from the Shah Jahan Album
Nanha
Mir 'Ali Haravi
verso: ca. 1615–29; recto: ca. 1540
"The Emperor Shah Jahan with his Son Dara Shikoh", Folio from the Shah Jahan Album, Nanha, Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper<br/>Margins: Gold and opaque watercolor on dyed paper
"The Emperor Shah Jahan with his Son Dara Shikoh", Folio from the Shah Jahan Album
Nanha
Mir 'Ali Haravi
verso: ca. 1620; recto: ca. 1530–50
"Akbar With Lion and Calf", Folio from the Shah Jahan Album, Govardhan, Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper
"Akbar With Lion and Calf", Folio from the Shah Jahan Album
Govardhan
Mir 'Ali Haravi
verso: ca. 1630; recto: ca. 1530–50
"Shah Jahan on a Terrace, Holding a Pendant Set With His Portrait", Folio from the Shah Jahan Album, Chitarman Indian, Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper
"Shah Jahan on a Terrace, Holding a Pendant Set With His Portrait", Folio from the Shah Jahan Album
Chitarman
recto: dated 1627–28; verso: ca. 1530–50

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