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Portrait of Murad Bakhsh (1624–61)
Balchand (Indian, active 1595–c. 1650)c. 1635; borders c. 1700s
The Cleveland Museum of Art
Cleveland, United States
The miniature portrait of a Mughal prince is now mounted on an album page. Originally, it was in a gemstone setting as a “portrait jewel” to be worn by family and supporters at court. India’s ruling elite had been wearing portrait jewels since Sir Thomas Rowe (about 1581–1655) presented British portrait miniatures and cameos to the Mughal emperor as part of a diplomatic gift in 1616, when he successfully negotiated for British access to India’s ports.
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Details
- Title: Portrait of Murad Bakhsh (1624–61)
- Creator: Balchand (Indian, active 1595–c. 1650)
- Date Created: c. 1635; borders c. 1700s
- Physical Dimensions: Overall: 28.4 x 25.7 cm (11 3/16 x 10 1/8 in.); Painting: 4.3 x 3.5 cm (1 11/16 x 1 3/8 in.)
- Provenance: Capt. E. G. Spencer-Churchill [1876–1964], Northwick Park, Gloucestershire, England, (Christie’s, London, The Northwick Park Collection: The Property of the late Captain E. G. Spencer-Churchill, MC, 24 June 1965, lot 9), Robert Moore, Los Angeles, CA, to Ralph Benkaim and Catherine Glynn Benkaim, Ralph Benkaim [1914–2001] and Catherine Glynn Benkaim [b. 1946], Beverly Hills, CA, Catherine Glynn Benkaim and Barbara Timmer, Beverly Hills, CA, partial sale and gift to the Cleveland Museum of Art, The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
- Type: Painting
- Rights: CC0
- External Link: https://clevelandart.org/art/2013.327
- Medium: gum tempera and gold on paper
- Fun Fact: This portrait belonged to a cousin of Sir Winston Churchill.
- Department: Indian and Southeast Asian Art
- Culture: Mughal India, court of Shah Jahan (reigned 1628–58)
- Credit Line: Gift in honor of Madeline Neves Clapp; Gift of Mrs. Henry White Cannon by exchange; Bequest of Louise T. Cooper; Leonard C. Hanna Jr. Fund; From the Catherine and Ralph Benkaim Collection
- Collection: Indian Art - Mughal
- Accession Number: 2013.327
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