Artwork
Nawab Amir Khan
Nawab Amir Khan is a paint painting by the Mughal Painting artist Govind. It dates from 1850 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
This painting is a portrait of Nawab Amir Khan, executed in opaque watercolor and gold on paper. It depicts the subject standing against a plain background, dressed in traditional attire.
Subject & Meaning
The subject is shown wearing a white robe with patterned stripes on the chest, a turban, and yellow shoes, carrying a long stick and a black bag. The handwriting at the bottom identifies the figure, although the title appears to be incorrect, as Nawab Amir Khan was not the Nawab of Oudh.
Technique & Style
The painting features flat, unshaded colors and a stiff, formal figure. The composition is framed by a red border with a yellow line inside it, and the background includes a soft blue sky above a plain green ground.
Context
The style of the painting is characteristic of Indian art, likely from a regional court. The use of opaque watercolor and gold on paper is typical of traditional Indian miniature painting.
Artist & collection
Artist
Govind painted delicate portraits of Indian nobility in the early 1800s. One of their known works shows Nawab Amir Khan, a ruler from Tonk in Rajasthan, dressed in rich fabrics with careful attention to jewelry and…
