painting
- Museum number
- 1913,0208,0.1
- Title
- Object: The Princes of the House of Timur
- Description
-
Painting depicting a feast in a garden pavilion. A Persian style landscape with a gold sky, trees, birds and figures in the background who are preparing food and bringing it over to serve guests. The central figure seated in the pavilion is Humayun, facing him are Akbar, Janhangir and Shah Jahan (who are later additions). Just outside the pavilion to the left is Sultan Parviz and in the corresponding position on the right is Prince Khusrau. The three figures seated on the right of the pavilion are: Abu Bakr, Baisunghur and Shah Rukh. The five figures seated diagonally on the left, moving towards the pavilion are: Babur, ʿUmar Shaykh Mirza, Sultan Abu Said Mirza, Sultan Muhammad Mirza and Miran Shah. Small inscriptions appear beside each figure. Painted in gouache on cloth (cotton)
- Production date
- 1550-1555 (circa)
- Dimensions
-
Height: 108.05 centimetres (image)
-
Width: 108 centimetres (image)
- $Inscriptions
-
- Curator's comments
- In this celebrated painting produced by Mughal artists of different generations, the Mughal emperor Humayun, surrounded by his Timurid ancestors, receives his descendants. These include the emperors Akbar, Jahangir and Shah Jahan. Although the Mughal dynasty (1526–1858) flourished in India, its founder, Babur, initially ruled in Central Asia before being forced out of the region. This grandiose scene illustrating Timurid-Mughal genealogy emphasises the great regard in which the Mughals held their ancestors. Additions were made in India about 1605 and 1628.
- Location
- Not on display
- Exhibition history
-
2011 March-July, London, BM, 'No Equal in All the World: Artistic Legacies from Herat, Afghanistan'
2010 Mar-Jun, London, National Portrait Gallery, 'The Indian Portrait 1560-1860'
2003/4 Oct-Jan, London, Hayward Gallery, 'Saved!100 Years of the National Art Collections Fund', no.8
1976 13 Apr-11 Jul, BM, 'Paintings from the Muslim Courts of India'
- Acquisition date
- 1913
- Acquisition notes
- Bought from Ganeshi Lall of Agra, with funds provided by the Art Fund and W. Graham Roberts.
- Department
- Middle East
- Registration number
- 1913,0208,0.1