Portrait of Kuchal Oghlan: Folio from Salim's Album
Not on view
Persian inscriptions identify the subject of this painting as Kuchal Oghlan (son of Kuchal), a Mughal courtier, as well as the name of the artist, Nanha. This work is a single folio from the so-called Salim Album, named for Prince Salim, who later became the Mughal Emperor Jahangir (r. 1605–27). The album was assembled around 1600, a moment when Prince Salim rebelled against his father Emperor Akbar (r. 1556–1605) and set up a rival court in Allahabad. Nanha has masterfully painted this aging courtier, who in his old age relies on the support of the staff tucked under his left armpit.