Sultan Khurram (Shah Jahan)

Object Details

• School/Tradition

  Mughal school

• Description

  Tinted drawing; Sultan Khurram (Shah Jahan).

• Marks

  Old matting: Vever 324 A, written in pencil

  Old matting: Akbar, written in pencil

  Old matting: Akbar, written in pencil

• Label

  This sensitively drawn likeness provides a rare glimpse into the artistic process of the Mughal court. In the seventeenth century, the nobility of the vast Mughal Empire was represented only in impassive profile views; thus the careful rendering of the profile's contour became especially important.

  Working with a fine brush and ink, the artist drew Prince Khurram (1592-1666) from life on a small scrap of paper. He began with careful small strokes, pointing his squirrel-hair brush by drawing it along the paper in small curlicues (visible to the portrait's right), and correcting and strengthening the contours of the young man's profile as he proceeded. His judicious use of red conveys a sense of life. The white painted line adjacent to the profile's firm contour covers the artist's preparatory marks. Such intimate personal studies served as visual aids in the production of finished paintings.

• Provenance

  ?-1913

  Léonce Rosenberg (1879 1947), method of acquisition unknown [1]

  1913 -1942

  Henri Vever (1854-1942), likely purchased from Léonce Rosenberg [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] ] Léonce Rosenberg was an art collector, writer, publisher, and influential art dealer.

  Léonce and his younger brother, Paul (1881-1959) joined their father, Alexandre Rosenberg (d. 1913) in running the family’s art gallery, selling works of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art. After their father retired, the brothers parted ways, opening their own, independent galleries. Léonce opened Haute Epoque at 19 Rue de la Baume, where he sold numerous types of works, including French antiquities, archeological pieces, and works on paper . Eventually, he became a champion of Cubist art and opened a new gallery, l’Effort Moderne.

  Vever purchased this work from Rosenberg on June 14, 1913. See Henri Vever Account Ledger, June 14, 1913, FSA A1988.042.2, from Henri Vever Papers, National Museum of Asian Art Archives. Vever describes this work as part of “3 dessins indo-persan au trait, portraits” that he purchased at Rosenberg’s Parisian apartment at 22 rue Lavoisier.

  [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 work remained in Vever’s collection at the time of his death.

  [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 on May 11, 2023.

• Collection

  Arthur M. Sackler Collection

• Exhibition History

  Facing East: Portraits from Asia (July 1 to September 4, 2006)

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

• Previous custodian or owner

  Léonce Rosenberg (1879-1947)

  Henri Vever (1854-1942)

  Francois Mautin (1907-2003)

• Origin

  India

• Credit Line

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

• Type

  Drawing

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1600s, 1620s

• Name

  Mautin, Francois Albert, Rosenberg, Léonce, Vever, Henri

• Place

  India

• Topic

  South Asian and Himalayan Art, Prince, Art, Henri Vever collection, Kings, queens, rulers, etc., Mughal dynasty (1526 - 1858), Portraits, Kings and rulers

• Culture

  Himalayan peoples, South Asians

• Object Type

  Drawings