"Emperor Babur Receiving a Visitor", Folio from a Baburnama (The Book of Babur)

Unknown

ca. 1590 · Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper · Islamic Art

The memoirs of Babur, founder of the Mughal Empire, were translated from the original Turki into Persian under the patronage of Babur’s grandson Akbar, who held a strong interest in the history and literary culture of his empire. In this scene, Babur stands as a visitor bows before him. Courtiers and attendants wear daggers in their sashes that provide a record of courtly fashions and accessories of the time. The fly whisk in the hand of an attendant, the carpet on which the figures stand, and the tent overhead also provide a glimpse into the opulent settings of royal life.

Artist

Unknown

Date

ca. 1590

Medium

Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper

Department

Islamic Art

Credit line

Louis V. Bell Fund, 1967