Portrait of Maharaja Rai Singh of Bikaner (reigned 1574-1612)

c. 1590

Nur Muhammad

Nur Muhammad (Indian, active c. 1580–1630)

Indian and Southeast Asian Art

Portrait of Maharaja Rai Singh of Bikaner (reigned 1574-1612), c. 1590. Nur Muhammad (Indian, active c. 1580–1630). Ink and gum tempera on paper; image: 20.5 x 14.6 cm (8 1/16 x 5 3/4 in.); paper: 42.4 x 26 cm (16 11/16 x 10 1/4 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Flora D. Glass and Elwood G. Glass, Jr. 1987.1100

Original Source

Maker/Artist: Nur Muhammad
Classification: Painting
Formatted Medium: Ink and gum tempera on paper
Medium: ink, gum, tempera, paper
Dimensions: Image: 20.5 x 14.6 cm (8 1/16 x 5 3/4 in.); Paper: 42.4 x 26 cm (16 11/16 x 10 1/4 in.)
Inscribed: Inscription: Devanagari inscription on the verso reads ‘sri maharaja sri rai singh ji ri sabi chhe’ Translation: Portrait of Maharaja Rai Singh Inscription: Nastaliq inscription on the verso reads ‘dast-i-nur mohammad-bin umar-ud-din’ Translation: ‘Work of Nur Mohammad Bin Umaruddin’ Translation: Top left: yaha gulabi mein nīla melavi (Here, add blue into pink.) Top-right: rang giri lali mein (Apply a wash of red.) Next to the turban: pāgariā lam auri upar lipaṭi jari (for the turban, an embroidered wrap over orange) Next to the staff: āyo suneri (gold here) Next to the cummerbund: jari (embroidery pattern) On the sash: dupaṭṭa: aurī (sash: orange) On the tunic: jāma: sufed (tunic: white) On the trousers: suthan kirmachi buṭi sone ki (gold floral pattern on crimson) On the right foot: gulabi upar buṭi (floral pattern on pink) On the left foot: jari (embroidery design) Remark: Color notations on the recto added around 1793, when a posthumous portrait of Maharaja Rai Singh of Bikaner was painted probably by the Bikaner court artist Mahmood, son of Sahoo.
Departments: Indian and Southeast Asian Art
Accession Number: 1987.1100
Credit Line: Gift of Flora D. Glass and Elwood G. Glass, Jr.
Exhibitions: Indian Gallery 242 Rotation – April-November 2018, Paintings of Bikaner – Indian Gallery 242 Rotation
Rights Statement: CC0