This portrait belongs to a Deccan Dignitary from Ahmadnagar. The artist seems to be a scrupulous observer of human features; concerned far more with technical perfection than with human warmth or emotion, yielding a rational and a highly formal style of portraiture. The bold, rounded shape of the sitters body has garments clinging to the round contours. His jama is flared and held tightly at the waist by a qamarband with fancy tassles hanging down. The jama has broad bands which start from the neck, go across his chest and end up below his arms. His clothes do not appear like anyone could ever relax in. In his neck, he wears strings of large pearls.
The face is painted with particular care and sensitivity. Although the features show familiar traits of Deccani art of mournful eyes with dark circles long nose and a receding chin, the artist has captured each one of them very realistically. His double chin has undergone an attempt to disguise it as part of a heavy jawline. His long moustache droops down his chin in two neat strips. Mughal characteristics like the subtle shading of the face and clothes have been clearly assimilated here.
It is a visually vibrant work, despite a very limited number of colours and a rigidly symmetrical painting.
This description by Kiranjyot
Of Related Interest:
Nawabi Style (Oil on Canvas)
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