Jamshid Writing on a Rock

Maker(s)
Artist: 'Abd al-Samad Shirin Qalam (active late 1530s–ca. 1600)
Calligrapher: Faqir Mir Ali
Historical period(s)
Mughal dynasty, Reign of Jahangir, painting 1587-1588, calligraphy ca.1540, borders ca.1605
Movement
Mughal Court
School
Mughal School
Medium
Opaque watercolor, ink, gold and mica on paper
Dimensions
H x W (overall): 42 x 26.5 cm (16 9/16 x 10 7/16 in)
Geography
India
Credit Line
Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art
Accession Number
F1963.4
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Album, Painting
Type

Album leaf with painting

Keywords
falconry, India, Jamshid, landscape, monkey, Mughal dynasty (1526 - 1858), nasta'liq script, Reign of Jahangir (1605 - 1627), writing, WWII-era provenance
Provenance
Provenance information is currently unavailable
Label

In this painting Jamshid, the great Iranian king and hero, is shown meditating on the brevity of life, a scene that may have come from a Bustan of the poet Sa'di, where it is often illustrated. Jamshid was a moral ideal for the rulers of Mughal India. In an inscription in the manuscript in this case, the emperor Akbar (reigned 1556-1605) is referred to as "that king of Jamshid-like glory."

The painter Abd as-Samad was born in Iran, but came to India with the emperor Humayun in 1555 and served as director of the imperial painting workshops under the emperor of Akbar.

Published References
  • Masters of Indian Painting. Exh. cat. Zurich. vol. 1: pp. 97-110, fig. 10.
  • Milo Cleveland Beach. The Imperial Image: Paintings for the Mughal Court. Exh. cat. Washington, 1981. cat. 16d, pp. 26,73, 164-7.
  • John Seyller. The Adventures of Hamza: Painting and Storytelling in Mughal India. Washington. cat. 17, p. 76.
  • Milo Cleveland Beach. The Imperial Image: Paintings for the Mughal Court., 2nd. Washington and Ahmedabad, India, 2012. cat. 20F, pp. 110-1.
  • Dr. Esin Atil. The Brush of the Masters: Drawings from Iran and India. Exh. cat. Washington, 1978. cat. 65, pp. 110-111.
  • Priscilla P. Soucek. Persian Artists in Mughal India: Influence and Transformations. vol. 4 Leiden. pp. 167-171, figs. 1, 3.
  • Ali Anooshahr. The Mughal Empire from Jahangir to Shah Jahan: Art, Architecture, Politics, Law and Literature. Mumbai, India. p. 257, fig. 9.
Collection Area(s)
South Asian and Himalayan Art
Web Resources
Google Cultural Institute
SI Usage Statement

Usage Conditions Apply

There are restrictions for re-using this image. 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 Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery welcome information that would augment or clarify the ownership history of objects in their collections.

citation | Save this image How to download an image | Request Permission | Terms of Use

Related Objects