Topographical style painting of a city. In the foreground, a court yard with women watching a dancer balancing a flask on her set, set between two large white buildings with columns. In the middle and background, an perspective view of a city.
AKM921, Entertainment in a palace garden

© The Aga Khan Museum

Back of the painting, beige paper, thin gold and red line boarder at the edge, then three more thin boarders in the middle of the paper closer together.
AKM921, Entertainment in a palace garden, Back

© The Aga Khan Museum

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Entertainment in a palace garden
  • Accession Number:AKM921
  • Creator:Artist: Faizullah
  • Place:India, Faizabad
  • Dimensions:50.5 cm x 69.2 cm
  • Date:ca. 1765-1770
  • Materials and Technique:opaque watercolor and gold on paper

This dynamic panorama depicts the courtyards and gardens of a large and complex palace. The central scene shows a princess with attendants and musicians watching a dancer skilfully balancing flasks. In the distant background, tiny vignettes of daily life contrast with this peek into the private royal quarters: boats ply the river, a horseman is attacked by a crocodile, two oxen work an irrigation well, and a princely figure on an elephant enters a tiger-filled enclosure ready for the hunt. Along with the architecture of the palace, the rectangular beds and pools of the painting’s numerous walled gardens comprise its strongest visual elements. They are filled with flowers, including lotuses, daffodils and marigolds, that are pleasing to the eye and to the nose. Flowers also decorate the rugs and brocades that furnish the palace.

- Marika Sardar

Note: This online resource is reviewed and updated on an ongoing basis. We are committed to improving this information and will revise and update knowledge about this object as it becomes available.

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