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Standing figure of an officer, c.1628-1658
from the Small Clive Album


Source: Victoria & Albert Museum. IS.48:6/A-1956.
A Mughal officer of mature years stands facing to the left set against a blue-green ground which rises up to a sky-line streaked in gold, mauve and light reds with cream-coloured clouds. In the foreground the figure stands on a green ground on which grow naturalistically rendered flowering plants. An additional strip of paper (c.0.5 cm) has been added along the lower edge and painted in an olive green. The man has a moustache and a short beard which is greying along the jaw-line up to close-cropped hair beneath an orange and green turban crossed with a grey and cream striped band. A cameo with a pendant pearl is attached at the front. He wears an ivory-coloured jama with orange edgings and lappets under his right arm. His patka is gold with a half-drop pattern of pink flowers above a mauve band and gold fringe. He has a punch dagger (katar) thrust through his patka ornamented in chevron bands of green, red and white as is the straight talwar sword in a purple sheath which is hung from his waist. He also has a rounded black shield with six ornamental bosses hanging from a strap slung round his neck. His paijama are gold with purple tulip-like flowers worn above a pair of maroon-coloured shoes.

This miniature painting is part of the Small Clive Album of Indian miniatures which is thought to have been given by Shuja ud-Daula, the Nawab of Avadh, to Lord Clive during his last visit to India in 1765-67.

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