Between the 16th and 19th centuries, men in Indian painting were depicted as powerful, proud, and passionate figures. Under increasing European influence, the portrayal of the masculine form reached its apex with the introduction of portraits to the Islamic Mogul court in the 17th century. From that point on, rulers and courtiers were represented in lifelike and naturalistic ways.

In large group-pictures, Mogul rulers are depicted on thrones receiving vanquished Rajput princes, or on ritualistic marches with elephants, further demonstrating their power. The passionate side of men’s nature is also revealed: lovers out for an evening ride on horseback or entwined in the palace garden, and a lover passing a bowl of wine to his beloved. However, the most important portrayal of men is the standing portrait. This type of image featured proud rulers, hunters, and warriors, primarily in profile or in three-quarter view. Jharoka portraits were another type of image, taking the form of both half-length portraits and those from the shoulders up. The latter shows how rulers would have appeared to people looking up to them at their windows.

In this exhibition, the Museum für Islamische Kunst devotes itself to one of the main themes in Indian painting during the 17th and 18th centuries. The miniatures come exclusively from the museum’s own holdings; some of them are shown here for the first time.