Description
This sensitive portrait survives as a fragment, part of a study for a larger painting. 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. His upright posture reveals an inner strength and dignity despite the affliction to his eyes, which seem no longer able to see.
Provenance
(Kasmin Gallery, London, UK, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art) (?-1968); The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (1968-)
Accession Number
1968.41
Medium
Ink and gum tempera on paper
Dimensions
Overall: 18 x 13.3 cm (7 1/16 x 5 1/4 in.)
Classification
Drawing
Credit Line
Cornelia Blakemore Warner Fund