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A Ruler Presents a Document to Visiting Nobles
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.
About this work
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 ).
Cleveland Museum of Art’s own descriptionCredit lineA Ruler Presents a Document to Visiting Nobles, c. 1700–1720. Mughal India, Deccan. Gum tempera and gold on paper; overall: 22 x 32.7 cm (8 11/16 x 12 7/8 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Leonard C. Hanna Jr. Fund, 1996.296