Muhammad Daulat (or Dawlat) was a leading artist in Mughal painting, active on imperial commissions between about 1595 and 1635–1640,[1] during the reigns of Akbar, Jahangir, and Shah Jahan. He began his career painting large narrative scenes, then specialized in portraits,[2] but later in his career seems to have specialized in highly ornate borders to miniatures.[3]
Self-portrait, c. 1610, from the Gulshan Album, c. 1610, Golestan Palace Library, Tehran
His father, L'al, served in the imperial court, very likely as one of the many artists in the imperial workshop.[4] Daulat trained there and was active as a painter by the mid-1590s, remaining for the whole of his career.[5] His brother Daud (Da'ud) was also an artist, who is usually referred to in inscriptions and art history as "Daud, brother of Daulat".[6] Like Govardhan, the other main portrait specialist of the period, and ultimately a finer artist than Daulat, he was influenced by Basawan.[7]
Daulat shows an "unusual self-consciousness" even in his early works. There are two identifiable self-portraits, both made at the emperor's request, as well as portraits of other artist colleagues, and some of his most significant miniatures contain tiny signatures hidden among the detail of the painting, for example on the girdle of a soldier in one Baburnama miniature. One signature reads "Muhammad Daulat, son of L'al", and in another he describes himself as "the least of the houseborn", indicating his father worked in the court. There are other "formulaic expressions of humility" of the type expected in the Mughal court,[10] though Daulat takes these further than most; his inscription on the Gulshan Album page with his self-portrait ends "Written by the lowly, needy, insignificant, Daulat".[11] Sometimes he puns on his name, which means "empire".[12]
Style
Daulat's style has been described as "distinguished by clusters of narrow-shouldered, voluminous figures and a bright palette intensified by pronounced contour shading. His facial types are quite individualized, but share dark features, full cheeks and large, staring eyes, the latter frequently directed at the viewer."[13]
His double portrait in the Khamsa of Nizami (British Library, Or. 12208) was added to the book many years later, at the specific request of Jahangir, a signal honour. The text is dated AH 1004 (1595–1596 AD) and the main narrative miniatures come from the same period, while the added colophon miniature probably dates to 1609–1610. Daulat does not seem to have contributed to the original miniatures, although some are now missing. The portrait of the calligrapher is probably posthumous, although Daulat would have known him when alive.[14] This page followed some other Mughal manuscripts in giving a pictorial colophon which showed a pair of men in the imperial book workshop working at their specialisms, calligraphy, drawing or painting, and in one case preparing a sheet of paper by polishing it (the usual Mughal practice for luxury manuscript pages).[15]
A page by Daulat in the Gulshan Album, a lavish muraqqa made for Jahangir and now in the Golestan Palace Library, Tehran, has wide gold borders which include seven portraits of court employees, five shown drawing, painting or reading. One is Daulat's self-portrait. Daulat's inscription records that this was also done at the emperor's specific request.[16]
Portrait of Bishandas, c. 1610, from the same page
Border by Daulat to a portrait by Nanha of Maharaja Bhim Kanwar, son of Amar Singh I of Mewar, from the Kevorkian Album, a muraqqa (album), c. 1615–1629. Border signed "the work of the slave of the threshold Daulat"
Notes
^1635 according to Rice, 149, 1640 per Grove; both agree on "c. 1595" as the start.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Daulat (Mughal painter).
"EB": "Daulat" in Encyclopaedia Britannica
"Grove": "Daulat" in Grove Encyclopedia of Islamic Art & Architecture, p. 518
Rice, Yael, "Between the Brush and Pen; on the Intertwined Histories of Mughal Painting and Calligraphy", in Envisioning Islamic Art and Architecture: Essays in Honor of Renata Holod, edited by David J. Roxburgh
Welch, Stuart Cary, The Emperor's Album: Images of Mughal India, 1987, Metropolitan Museum of Art, ISBN0870994999, 9780870994999, fully online
January 07, 2023
daulat, artist, muhammad, daulat, dawlat, leading, artist, mughal, painting, active, imperial, commissions, between, about, 1595, 1635, 1640, during, reigns, akbar, jahangir, shah, jahan, began, career, painting, large, narrative, scenes, then, specialized, po. Muhammad Daulat or Dawlat was a leading artist in Mughal painting active on imperial commissions between about 1595 and 1635 1640 1 during the reigns of Akbar Jahangir and Shah Jahan He began his career painting large narrative scenes then specialized in portraits 2 but later in his career seems to have specialized in highly ornate borders to miniatures 3 Self portrait c 1610 from the Gulshan Album c 1610 Golestan Palace Library Tehran Contents 1 Life and career 2 Style 3 Notes 4 ReferencesLife and career Edit Detail of the colophon miniature added to the Khamsa of Nizami British Library Or 12208 by Daulat showing him left painting the calligrapher of the manuscript Abd al Rahim His father L al served in the imperial court very likely as one of the many artists in the imperial workshop 4 Daulat trained there and was active as a painter by the mid 1590s remaining for the whole of his career 5 His brother Daud Da ud was also an artist who is usually referred to in inscriptions and art history as Daud brother of Daulat 6 Like Govardhan the other main portrait specialist of the period and ultimately a finer artist than Daulat he was influenced by Basawan 7 Important manuscript projects he contributed to in the 1590s include the British Library Akbarnama MS Or 12988 3 miniatures Akbar s dispersed Razmnama and the Baburnama in New Delhi 4 miniatures 8 In the next century he contributed to the Windsor Padshahnama and the Kevorkian Album 9 Daulat shows an unusual self consciousness even in his early works There are two identifiable self portraits both made at the emperor s request as well as portraits of other artist colleagues and some of his most significant miniatures contain tiny signatures hidden among the detail of the painting for example on the girdle of a soldier in one Baburnama miniature One signature reads Muhammad Daulat son of L al and in another he describes himself as the least of the houseborn indicating his father worked in the court There are other formulaic expressions of humility of the type expected in the Mughal court 10 though Daulat takes these further than most his inscription on the Gulshan Album page with his self portrait ends Written by the lowly needy insignificant Daulat 11 Sometimes he puns on his name which means empire 12 Style EditDaulat s style has been described as distinguished by clusters of narrow shouldered voluminous figures and a bright palette intensified by pronounced contour shading His facial types are quite individualized but share dark features full cheeks and large staring eyes the latter frequently directed at the viewer 13 His double portrait in the Khamsa of Nizami British Library Or 12208 was added to the book many years later at the specific request of Jahangir a signal honour The text is dated AH 1004 1595 1596 AD and the main narrative miniatures come from the same period while the added colophon miniature probably dates to 1609 1610 Daulat does not seem to have contributed to the original miniatures although some are now missing The portrait of the calligrapher is probably posthumous although Daulat would have known him when alive 14 This page followed some other Mughal manuscripts in giving a pictorial colophon which showed a pair of men in the imperial book workshop working at their specialisms calligraphy drawing or painting and in one case preparing a sheet of paper by polishing it the usual Mughal practice for luxury manuscript pages 15 A page by Daulat in the Gulshan Album a lavish muraqqa made for Jahangir and now in the Golestan Palace Library Tehran has wide gold borders which include seven portraits of court employees five shown drawing painting or reading One is Daulat s self portrait Daulat s inscription records that this was also done at the emperor s specific request 16 A page inscribed Daud brother of Daulat in the Razmnamah British Library Or 12076 c 1599 Portrait of Abu l Hasan from the Gulshan Album c 1610 Golestan Palace Library Tehran Portrait of Bishandas c 1610 from the same page Border by Daulat to a portrait by Nanha of Maharaja Bhim Kanwar son of Amar Singh I of Mewar from the Kevorkian Album a muraqqa album c 1615 1629 Border signed the work of the slave of the threshold Daulat Notes Edit 1635 according to Rice 149 1640 per Grove both agree on c 1595 as the start Rice 172 EB Welch 136 Grove see below for how we know this Rice 172 EB Example in the Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II Museum Jaipur Welch 134 Grove Welch see index Grove Rice 149 This is written on the paper Daulat s portrait figure writes on Welch 136 Grove Rice 172 173 Rice 159 165 Rice 149 illustrated on 150References Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Daulat Mughal painter EB Daulat in Encyclopaedia Britannica Grove Daulat in Grove Encyclopedia of Islamic Art amp Architecture p 518 Rice Yael Between the Brush and Pen on the Intertwined Histories of Mughal Painting and Calligraphy in Envisioning Islamic Art and Architecture Essays in Honor of Renata Holod edited by David J Roxburgh Welch Stuart Cary The Emperor s Album Images of Mughal India 1987 Metropolitan Museum of Art ISBN 0870994999 9780870994999 fully online Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Daulat artist amp oldid 1097143044, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
