A mendicant bowing before a holy man, from the Prince Salim Album

Basavana

As the Mughal atelier grew into the 1580s, Indian artists become increasingly adept at incorporating Persian styles with a new dimensionality and naturalism that Akbar promoted, possibly based on his appreciation of European prints and paintings. Here, a sincere holy man wears robes tinged lightly with blue. He stands beneath a tree in the wilderness with a loyal jackal by his side. A devotee touches his head to his feet. The artist’s tiny signature is written on the alms bowl. Connoisseurs of Persian art in the Islamic world praised an artist’s virtuoso ability to work on a microscopic scale.

Artwork details

Artist: Basavana
Date: c. 1585; inner border added in Allahabad c. 1602; outer border added probably 1900s
Medium: Gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper
Dimensions: Page: 32.7 x 21.1 cm (12 7/8 x 8 5/16 in.); Painting: 13.6 x 7.5 cm (5 3/8 x 2 15/16 in.)
Culture: Mughal India, court of Akbar (reigned 1556–1605)
Collection: Indian and Southeast Asian Art

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Artwork total

Rs. 1108

Artwork cost: Rs. 1000

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Artwork size: 9" × 12"

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