The Elderly Shahjahan, from the Late Shahjahan Album

Object Details

• Court

  Mughal Court

• School/Tradition

  Mughal school

• Label

  The powerful ruler Shahjahan, the fifth Mughal emperor, reigned from 1628 to 1658. The confidence and serenity rendered in this portrait emphasize the glory attained by the aged emperor during the last years of his reign. The inclusion of three Muslim holy men depicted in the right border sanctifies Shahjahan's imperial authority, while the resting lion and lioness at the bottom are probably allusions to the ruler's twilight years.

  Asaf Khan (died 1641), the elderly man depicted on the right, gives a gem to Emperor Shahjahan, his nephew and son-in-law, who was a connoisseur of precious stones. As the chief minister, Asaf Khan held an unsurpassed position among the nobility of the court, which is acknowledged by the inclusion of his portrait with that of the emperor. Such powerful nobles served as intermediaries between the exalted emperor and his subjects.

• Provenance

  ?-1910

  Georges Demotte (1877-1923), method of acquisition unknown [1]

  1910-1942

  Henri Vever (1854-1942), purchased from Georges Demote [2]

  1942-1947

  Jeanne Louise Monthiers (1861-1947), bequest of Henri Vever [3]

  1947-1986

  Francois Mautin (1907-2003), bequest of Jeanne Louise Monthiers and Henri Vever [4]

  From 1986

  Arthur M. Sackler Gallery purchased from Francois Mautin [5]

  Notes:

  [1] This work is likely one of a group of seven miniatures that Henri Vever purchased from Demotte in January 1910. Vever describes the group as "7 miniatures indo-persanes." See Henri Vever Account Ledger, January 1910, FSA A1988.042.2, from Henri Vever Papers. Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives. Georges Demotte was a collector and dealer of Islamic and medieval European art. He had galleries in Paris and New York City.

  [2] An accomplished French jeweler and collector, Henri Vever (1854-1942) amassed a large and impressive collection of works of art during his lifetime. His holdings in Japanese prints and Islamic arts of the books, especially from Iran and India, were among the most important assembled in the early twentieth century. This object was in Vever's collection at the time of his death in 1942.

  [3] Upon Henri Vever's death on September 25, 1942, his wife, Jeanne Louise Monthiers inherited the object. See exhibits F and G of Agreement of Purchase and Sale of the Henri Vever Collection, January 9, 1986, copy in object file.

  [4] Upon the death of Jeanne Louise Monthiers, as stipulated in the will of Henri Vever, the family's assets were divided evenly between his two grandchildren. His only grandson, Francois Mautin inherited the collection known as "The Henri Vever Collection of Oriental Art and Manuscripts Including Persian and Indian Art and Manuscripts." This object is part of that collection. See exhibits F and G as cited in note 3.

  [5] The Arthur M. Sackler Gallery purchased the entirety of the collection from Francois Mautin on January 9, 1986. See purchase agreement, copy in object file.

  Research updated June 6, 2023.

• Collection

  Arthur M. Sackler Collection

• Exhibition History

  Worlds within Worlds: Imperial Paintings from India and Iran (July 28 to September 16, 2012)

  Shahzia Sikander Selects: Works from the Permanent Collection (March 6 to August 31, 2009)

  Imperial Portraits from the Mughal Courts from the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution (June 30 to September 22, 2002)

  The Jewel and the Rose: Art of Shah Jahan (May 4, 1997 to January 25, 1998)

  Arts of Mughal India (1992) (May 24 to December 6, 1992)

  A Jeweler's Eye: Islamic Arts of the Book from the Vever Collection (November 20, 1988 to April 30, 1989)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Francois Mautin (1907-2003)

  Jeanne Louise Monthiers (1861-1947)

  Henri Vever (1854-1942)

  Georges Demotte (1877-1923)

• Origin

  India

• Credit Line

  Purchase — Smithsonian Unrestricted Trust Funds, Smithsonian Collections Acquisition Program, and Dr. Arthur M. Sackler

• Type

  Manuscript

• 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.

  The information presented on this website may be revised and updated at any time as ongoing research progresses or as otherwise warranted. Pending any such revisions and updates, information on this site may be incomplete or inaccurate or may contain typographical errors. Neither the Smithsonian nor its regents, officers, employees, or agents make any representations about the accuracy, reliability, completeness, or timeliness of the information on the site. Use this site and the information provided on it subject to your own judgment. The National Museum of Asian Art welcomes information that would augment or clarify the ownership history of objects in their collections.

Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1640s, 1660s

• Name

  Mautin, Francois Albert, Monthiers, Jeanne Louise, Demotte, Georges, Vever, Henri

• Place

  India

• Topic

  South Asian and Himalayan Art, Reign of Shah Jahan (1628 - 1658), Cats, Art, Animals, Holy man, Henri Vever collection, Mughal dynasty (1526 - 1858), Flowers, Angels, Halo

• Culture

  Himalayan peoples, South Asians

• Object Type

  Manuscripts