Portrait of Abu'l Hasan, the Last Sultan of Golconda

late 17th-early 18th century

This portrait depicts Abu\'l Hasan, the last sultan of the Qutb-Shahi dynasty of Golconda, a kingdom in the Deccan (central southern India) that was much celebrated for its refusal to bow to the Mughal emperors. The sultan is shown with a radiant gold nimbus, a convention of Deccani portraits of rulers. The Mughals finally conquered Golconda after a long siege, and Abu\'l Hasan spent the last 17 years of his life in confinement. It is likely that this portrait was created after his death; it clearly celebrates him as a great ruler rather than as a defeated captive. This painting has lost the decorative margin papers that once framed it, leaving the blank edges of the page visible.