Description
Many carpets produced in the southwestern region of the Indian subcontinent feature a tone-on-tone mustard-yellow color scheme with lattice design. It demarcates the space of honor for the highest-ranking members of the refined gathering of literary connoisseurs. The figure facing right, with the peacock-feather whisk held over him, would be the host. He has a letter or poem in his hand. His guests have partaken of an aromatic betel-leaf packet (paan) and a rose from the dishes between them. Implements for writing and trimming paper lie on the carpet between a spittoon and courtly stabbing dagger (katar).
Provenance
(Mr. Kalesan Natesan, London, UK, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art) (?–1996); The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (1996–)
Accession Number
1996.296
Medium
Gum tempera and gold on paper
Dimensions
Overall: 22 x 32.7 cm (8 11/16 x 12 7/8 in.)
Classification
Painting
Credit Line
Leonard C. Hanna Jr. Fund