Northern India, Pahari kingdoms / c. 1750
Portrait of a blind man
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Portrait of a blind man as drawing (Northern India, Pahari kingdoms · c. 1750).
The subject of this drawing might be a posthumous portrait of the blind king Sital Dev of Mankot (reigned 1630–1660), who died several decades before this drawing was made.
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this drawing as Gum tempera on paper.
The museum's collection notes: This sensitive portrait survives as a fragment, part of a study for a larger painting. White paint indicates areas the artist reworked. This man’s Mughal tunic, with a katar dagger tucked into the sash, indicates that he is a noble, probably Hindu, because the tunic is tied under the left arm. The gesture of his right hand—just a ghost of an indication—and slightly parted lips suggest that he is making a request.
FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE
The Cleveland Museum of ArtPortrait of a blind manOriginal explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.