Bracelet with Portrait Miniatures
This bracelet features portraits of powerful Indian pesonages and their consorts. The third oval from the left is a portrait of the last Mughal emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar (r. 1837–57, d. 1862). A skilled calligrapher, Bahadur was well versed in the history of art, architecture, garden design, and poetry. Indian artists adopted the technique of painting portrait miniatures on ivory with watercolors from British artists living and working in India during the 19th century. This delicate bracelet is, therefore, an interesting example of the cultural exchange between East and West during the period of European imperialism.
Provenance
Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object. Learn more about provenance at the Walters.
John D. Schapiro, Monkton, Maryland; Mrs. Jerry Cascarella [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; Walters Art Museum, 1999, by gift.
Exhibitions
2012 | Princes and Painters in Mughal Delhi, 1707-1857. Asia Society, New York. |
2006-2009 | Bedazzled: 5,000 Years of Jewelry from the Walters Art Museum. Frist Center for the Visual Arts, Nashville; The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, Sarasota; The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. |
Geographies
India, Delhi (Place of Origin)
Measurements
L: 7 1/2 in. (19.1 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of Mrs. Jerry Cascarella, 1999
Accession Number
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
38.665