Portrait Jewel of Emperor Jahangir
1600–1625
- Medium
- Gum tempera and gold on paper
- Dimensions
- Image: 4.8 x 3.2 cm (1 7/8 x 1 1/4 in.)
- Genre
- Painting
- Museum
- Cleveland Museum of Art
Tags
Mughal India, court of Jahangir (reigned 1605–27)
About
The fourth Mughal emperor of India, Jahangir, had tiny portraits of himself made to give as gifts to his friends, family, and nobles of the court as a sign of royal favor. These portraits were mounted and worn as jewels or turban ornaments. The carpet or textile under his hands references the covered rail of a balcony where the emperor addressed the public three times a day to hear complaints or petitions.