Cleveland Museum of Art

Women bathing before an architectural panorama

Fayzullah

Date

c. 1765

Medium

Gum tempera and gold on paper

Culture

India, Lucknow, Mughal

Department

Indian and Southeast Asian Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

Despite the wars waged and forts besieged in the background, life in the palace is carefree and luxurious. Some women enjoy hookahs and music on balconies, while others swim and drink liquor with abandon from Chinese porcelain cups and bottles. The artist has placed his name under the central pavilion, observing the scene across a formal garden of marigolds. The artist seems to have enjoyed experimenting with the idea of perspective, learned from European sources. He created a rapidly receding space that telescopes the view from the intimate harem quarters to the distant battlefields. The artist signed his name below the king’s seat that overlooks the garden vista.

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