Shah Jahan holding an emerald

1628-1629 · Painting · 36.9 × 23.2 cm

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Museo de Victoria y Alberto

Londres, Reino Unido

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En este estado desde: 25 sept 2026
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This portrait of Shah Jahan (r.1628-1658) is signed by the court artist Muhammad Abed, who adds in his Persian inscription that he is the son of Aqa Reza (an Iranian artist who came to the Mughal court in the late 16th century) and brother of Nader al-Zaman ('Wonder of the Age'), a title given to one of the most important of all Mughal artists, Abu'l Hasan. The portrait depicts Shah Jahan, a renowned connoisseur of precious stones, wearing necklaces, bracelets, armlets and turban jewels made of very large pearls, spinels and emeralds. He holds a huge, facetted emerald in his left hand. The artist has signed his name and family connections in minute gold script beneath Shah Jahan's feet, with the addition that the painting was completed in the first (regnal) year, corresponding to 14 February 1628-25 January 1629.

The border of gold flowers on an indigo ground is signed in gold in two places (top left and top right) by the gilder, Harif, about whom nothing is known, though a few examples of his signed work exist on the borders of other album pages done for Shah Jahan, notably some of the 'Kevorkian' album in the Metropolitan Museum, New York. The writing is minuscule, and almost completely concealed within the foliage.

Museo de Victoria y Alberto