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Portrait of the Mughal Emperor Aurangazeb as a Young Man

Artist Unknown
Culture Mughal
Culture Islamic
Title Portrait of the Mughal Emperor Aurangazeb as a Young Man
Date 1640–1665
Medium Opaque watercolor on paper
Dimensions Image: 3 5/16 x 2 in. (8.4 x 5.1 cm)
Credit Line Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University
Accession Number 83.14

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About this Work

The subject of this exquisite painting is Prince Awrangzib (1619–1707), the future Mughal ruler. With precise, tiny brushstrokes, the artist beautifully rendered Awrangzib’s silky beard and eyebrows, the gleaming pearls around his neck and on his turban, his gold-embroidered clothing, and the sumptuous silk and gold rug draped over the banister on which he leans. This miniature portrait was probably painted during one of the periods when Awrangzib served as the viceroy of the Deccan, a vast region of south-central India. It may have been part of a collection of images bound in a book or given as a gift to a local ruler.


Provenance research is ongoing for this and many other items in the Eskenazi Museum of Art permanent collection. For more information about the provenance of this artwork, please contact the department curator with specific questions.

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"Portrait of the Mughal Emperor Aurangazeb as a Young Man | Collections Online." Collections Online. Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University, 2024. https://artmuseum.indiana.edu/collections-online/browse/object.php?number=83.14