YOUR NEXT DISCOVERY/ArtifactsFollow your curiosity

India, Mughal court, made for Shah Jahan / illumination 1640–55; original portrait c. 1640–50; altered after 1658

Shamsa (sunburst) with portrait of Aurangzeb (1618–1707), from the Emperor's Album (the Kevorkian Album)

The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Shamsa (sunburst) with portrait of Aurangzeb (1618–1707), from the Emperor's Album (the Kevorkian Album) as painting (India, Mughal court, made for Shah Jahan · illumination 1640–55; original portrait c. 1640–50; altered after 1658).

WHY IT’S INTERESTING

Tooling the gold cloud motif with pinpricks makes it catch more light and shimmer.

SERENDIPITYA little unexpected

FamiliarWeird

A CLOSER LOOK

The museum identifies this painting as Gum tempera and gold on paper and credits Bichitr (Indian, active c. 1615–50).

The museum's collection notes: This closing page of an imperial Mughal album originally had the shamsa , or sunburst, with a plain gold disc in the center, referencing the light of God as divine sanction for Emperor Shah Jahan’s rule. The depiction of divine light by means of floral and geometric patterns was painted by hand with mathematical precision in gold and lapis lazuli. The portrait of Aurangzeb was probably added when he took over the imperial library after seizing the throne from his father, Shah Jahan, in 1658 and adopting the name Alamgir, which means “Seizer of the Universe.” The string of prayer beads in his right hand points to his extreme religious orthodox

FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE

The Cleveland Museum of ArtShamsa (sunburst) with portrait of Aurangzeb (1618–1707), from the Emperor's Album (the Kevorkian Album)

Original explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.