A Prince and His Beloved
A Prince and His Beloved
Fol. 137r from a manuscript of Kulliyat of Sa‘di
India, Agra, ca. 1604
Watercolours, gold, and ink on paper
AKM284.13
This illustration accompanies a poem that extols the beauty of the beloved. One playful verse reads: “Hindus may be excused for worshipping stone idols, for those unfortunate ones have never seen a silvery idol [such as this.]” Portraying himself as an idol worshipper, considered sinful in Islam, Sa‘di suggests that his passion transcends his faith, a message that may have been particularly relevant during the reign of Mughal emperor Akbar (1556–1605), when this manuscript was produced. The emperor attempted to promote a new religion that merged features of Islam, Hinduism, and other belief systems as a way of resolving the religious differences that divided his subjects. Here, the illustrator has depicted the beloved as a bejewelled lady standing in a temple-like pavilion where one might normally find an idol.