Playing the Harp Lot n° 34

Specifications: Watercolor on Paper 10.5 inches X 13.1 inches This work leads us into a world, which clearly bears a Mughal impress in its fluent naturalism, but is free of the pretensions and the aridity which had entered the Mughal work in the 18th century.Enthroned, playing a harp, the man is reminiscent of the early Christian portrayal of angels playing the harp. A simple crown rests on his head. The slim, long face and the facial features remind one of Persian impact ? small eyes, aquiline nose, the cut of the beard. The attire he wears bears a Roman imprint; the octagonal pedestal is purely Mughal. Hence, it is a pure amalgamation of various cultures. The Mughal art was unable to save itself from external influences.As much as the tactile quality of the upper garment is achieved, the folds of the lower one fall flat and seem unrealistic as compared to the other elements of the painting. The enthroned figure is isolated in the absence of any background embellishments. The pistachio green in the background compliments the jewel-like colours of the protagonist. The impression of the sky at the upper edge is commonly found in Mughal portraits.This description by Renu Rana. Mughal Painting The Mughal school of painting runs parallel to the Mughal dynasty. It came into prominence in the sixteenth century, during the reign of king Akbar. It reached its zenith under the patronage of Akbar’s grandson – king Jahangir. The reign of the latter’s successor king Shah Jahan saw its decline and finally under the unsympathetic Aurangzeb it breathed its last. Indeed, as a school of art, the duration of Mughal painting was a limited one, extending only over approximately two and a half centuries. Actually, it has often been referred to as not exactly a school, but rather an exceptionally brilliant phase in Indian art. The roots of Mughal painting lay in Samarkand and Herat, where under the patronag