Untitled
1612
paint
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
1612
paint
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
Untitled is a 1612 paint by Mansur, a Baroque work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.
This painting shows a male turkey with vivid blue and red feather patches. It stands against a plain background, its details sharp and clear. The bird’s head has red wattles and a blue face patch, typical of a mature male. The artist Mansur made this for Mughal emperor Jahangir in 1612. It records the first North American turkey seen at the Mughal court. Jahangir loved rare animals and kept detailed notes in his memoirs. Look up Mansur to see more of his animal paintings.
The painting depicts a North American turkey cock facing left, rendered in opaque watercolor and gold on paper. The bird is positioned on a plain ground marked only by a floral line beneath its feet and streaks of clouds above, with Mansur’s signature placed beneath its wattle. The composition is framed by calligraphic bands at the top and bottom, and the page is bordered by gold-painted flowering plants on undyed paper. The work was created for Mughal emperor Jahangir in 1612, documenting the arrival of the exotic bird at his court.
Read the full account in the museum source.
This 17th-century artist painted delicate studies of birds and flowers, often on small, intricately bordered pages.
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