Cleveland Museum of Art

Noblewoman at a Jharokha Window Holding a Rose, from a Portraits of Women series

Date

c. 1730

Medium

gum tempera and gold on paper

Culture

Northwestern India, Rajasthan, Rajput Kingdom of Sawar

Department

Indian and Southeast Asian Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

A royal woman stands on a palace balcony under a cusped arch. The carpet draped over the railing in front of her indicates to viewers that the person is a member of the royal family. The rulers of small kingdoms adopted the Mughal practice of locating the emperor in the jharokha window and expanded it to include other members of the royal household. They also adopted the Mughal taste for scalloped arches, swirling arabesque flowering-vine motifs, and images of flowering plants on the carpet. Her oversized eye emphasizes the importance of seeing and being seen. The carpet is patterned with roses to match the flowers she holds.

The authoritative record is held by Cleveland Museum of Art. LinkedCulture surfaces this object and its connections; it does not alter institutional metadata.