Noah's Ark
Terms of Use
Usage Conditions ApplyAt A Glance
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Period
ca. 1590 -
Geography
India -
Material
Opaque watercolor and gold on paper -
Dimension
H x W: 28.1 x 15.6 cm (11 1/16 x 6 1/8 in) -
Accession Number
F1948.8 -
EDAN ID
edanmdm:fsg_F1948.8
Object Details
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Artist
Attributed to Miskin (active late 1570s–ca. 1604) -
Court
Mughal Court -
Label
Noah, his head surrounded by a flaming halo, sits at the center of this painting. A popular figure in the Qur'an, Noah (in Arabic, Nuh) also figures in poetic texts such as the Diwan (Collected Poems) by Hafiz.Miskin, one of the greatest painters in the workshop of the Mughal emperor Akbar (r. 1556-1605) is thought to have painted this page. An expert draftsman and colorist, Miskin was best known for his skilled and whimsical depictions of animals and birds. -
Provenance
?-1944Kirkor Minassian (1874-1944), method of acquisition unknown [1]1944-1948Antoinette P. Minassian (Mrs. Kirkor Minassian) (1874-1961), probably by descent from Kirkor Minassian [2]From 1948Freer Gallery of Art, purchased from Antoinette P. Minassian (Mrs. Kirkor Minassian) [3]Notes:[1] See object file for copy of Antoinette P. Minassian invoice on “Mrs. Kirkor Minassian” letterhead to the Freer Gallery of Art, dated July 14, 1948, and marked approved on May 15, 1947. This object is listed as Kirkor Minassian stock number, P-1145.[2] See Cleveland Museum of Art, “Islamic Art: Selected Examples from the Loan Exhibition of Islamic Art at the Cleveland Museum of Art” [exhibition catalogue], (Cleveland: Cleveland Museum of Art, 1944), p. 24. Object is described as “Noah’s Ark [/] […] [/] Lent by Mrs. Kirkor Minassian.”[3] See note 1.Research updated September 8, 2023 -
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art Collection -
Exhibition History
Body Image (October 14, 2017 - ongoing)Worlds within Worlds: Imperial Paintings from India and Iran (July 28 to September 16, 2012)Arts of the Indian Subcontinent and the Himalayas (October 16, 2004 to January 3, 2016)South and South East Asian Art (May 9, 1993 to February 7, 2000)The Arts of South Asia (May 13, 1985 to December 2, 1985)The Imperial Image: Painting for the Mughal Court (September 25, 1981 to 30 March 1982)Indian Art (January 1, 1963 to January 28, 1981)Special Exhibition Afghanistan (September 3, 1963 to June 5, 1964)Untitled Exhibition, South Asian Art, Gallery 8 (July 15, 1958 to January 1, 1963)Centennial Exhibition, West Corridor (February 25, 1956 to July 11, 1958)Special Exhibition, Near Eastern Art (September 15, 1953 to February 9, 1954) -
Previous custodian or owner
Kirkor Minassian (1874-1944)Mrs. Antoinette P. Minassian (1874-1961) -
Origin
India -
Credit Line
Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment -
Type
Painting -
Restrictions and Rights
Usage Conditions Apply
There are restrictions for re-using this media. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page.
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