On 31 July 1607, Jahangir, the Mughal emperor of India, ordered his son to be weighed as part of his 15th birthday celebration. This painting depicts the ceremony, and originally illustrated a written description in the Tuzuk-i Jahangiri, the memoirs of Jahangir. The painting displays the wealth of the Mughal empire and its connections with other parts of Asia and with Europe. It was during Jahangir’s reign that the English East India Company began to gain a foothold in India and the painting offers a good way into exploring the relationship between India and Britain over three centuries.
India
AD 1615
Mughal
ink, opaque watercolour and gold on paper
width: 29.5 cm (sheet)
height: 44.3 cm (sheet)
width: 19.6 cm (image)
height: 30 cm (image)
British Museum
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