INDIA, RAJASTHAN, AMBER, CIRCA 1720

Standing against an olive-green background, this portrait of a nobleman exemplifies Mughal fashion and elegance. The subject is adorned with a red pagri, accented by gold and green dots and a line of pearls near the rim. He wears a beige jama with delicate rose prints, cinched by a gem-studded maroon belt and a patka sash around his waist. His attire is completed with yellowish-green trousers featuring wavy patterns and a pair of maroon mojari slippers intricately lined with gold thread. His lavish jewellery also reflects the elite Mughal taste, with pearl and ruby earrings adorning his ears, and three pearl necklaces with rubies and emeralds gracing his neck. His wrists are adorned with stacks of pearl bracelets, each with a central ruby or emerald, while his fingers are decorated with gold rings. A large emerald brooch, surrounded by pearls, is prominently displayed on his belt. He carries a small dagger in a dark green sheath at his waist, with his left hand resting on a sword and his right on a staff.
The image is enclosed by a brown border embellished with gold grapevines and framed by a dark brown and green margin flecked with gold. While eighteenth-century Mughal portraits often included landscape elements, though minimal, the rendering of this portrait is reminiscent of the style produced under the reign of Shah Jahan. A similarly dated portrait of Emperor Aurangzeb was recently sold at Christie’s London on 27 April 2023, lot 63, for £25,200.