Quotations -Quote, in the frame: “Though outwardly shahs stand before him, he fixes his gazes on dervishes -Angles with Jahangir a long life by writing on the hourglass, “O Shah, may the span of your life be a thousand years.”
--Jahangir is the source of all light; he is surrounded by a halo of the sun and moon -Jahangir is near the end: seated on an hourglass throne; sands of time running out -Jahangir wears a single pearl as a devotion to an eleventh-century saint -Sufi Sheik is handed a book by Jahangir, or perhaps the holy man is handing Jahangir the book–the book is placed on a cloth so that the sheik does not touch Jahangir -The sheik was the superintendent of the shrine at Ajmer, where Jahangir lived from 1613-1616 -Holy men are placed above and ranked higher than all others; the painting is thought to represent the importance of spiritual life over worldly power. -The Ottoman sultan is placed higher than James I, but shows deference to Jahangir -James I of England is in the lower left-hand corner; less important than Jahangir, as his position implies; the portrait is based on a diplomatic gift probably by artist John de Critz, given by ambassador Sir Thomas Roe -The artist, a Hindu, holds a miniature with two horses and an elephant–perhaps a gift from his patron. -The artist is in the lower left-hand corner; he symbolically signs his name on the footstool beneath Jahangir.
-“By engaging directly only with the Shaikh, Jahangir is making a statement about his spiritual leanings. Inscriptions in the cartouches on the top and bottom margins of the folio reiterate the fact that the Emperor favors visitation with a holy man over an audience with kings.”
Context
--Jahangir had many artists follow him wherever he went; he wanted everything recorded. -He sought to bring together things from distant lands -Cross-cultural influences from Europe: a Renaissance carpet is in the background; figures of small cherubs are compiled from European paintings; there is a halo behind Jahangir. -Great interest in the Mughal court for European allegorical portraits, techniques, and motifs.