Mughal emperor Shah Jahan receives a sparrowhawk from Raja Prithvi Singh of Chamba
Indian
In this painting, the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan (r.1627-1658) receives a sparrowhawk from ruler Raja Prithvi Singh of Chamba (1641-64), located in Himachal Pradesh. Shah Jahan’s imperial status is signified by the faintly-drawn halo with emanating gold rays. Raja Prithvi Singh wears a brown falconer’s glove on his right hand on which the sparrow hawk is perched. The bird of prey bears a halsband around its neck and red jesses around its feet. Raja Prithvi Singh holds up a red falcon hood in his left hand.
Opaque watercolor and gold on paper