A House Burgled at Nightc. 1700 · Study 2013.333

Context from the museum

In this night scene a band of robbers have climbed over the walls of a Mughal house and, from a courtyard, are successfully carrying out the possessions of its owners while a lady flees through the door. The speed of her movement is expressed in the swinging motion of her diaphanous skirt and the scarf clutched in her hand, as well as by the shoes abandoned on the ground in her haste. This depiction of unruly behavior and its effects are perhaps an expression of the violent succession of emperors that threw the Mughal court into distress at the beginning of the 18th century.

Museum description reproduced from its CC0 open-access record. Read the original catalog entry.

Read the dimensions before the image

The selected painting only measurement for A House Burgled at Night is 16.4 cm wide and 23 cm high, equivalent to approximately 6.5 × 9.1 inches. Dividing width by height gives a format ratio of 0.71:1. The rectangular bounding area is 0.04 square meters; it describes the measured footprint, not the amount of paint or the monetary value.

On an illustrative 300 cm wall, the recorded width occupies 5.5% of the span before adding a frame. A centered placement leaves approximately 141.8 cm on each side before adding a frame. These are calculations by Physical Art For Crypto using museum measurements. They are not the museum’s display recommendations.

Questions to bring to your own collection

With A House Burgled at Night in view, identify one feature you can point to, then distinguish what the museum records from your personal response. Keep its medium, Gum tempera and gold on paper, in your notes when comparing contemporary works.

• Which part of this vertical composition catches your eye first?
• Would a 16.4 cm width still suit the space after allowing for furniture and a frame?
• What surface detail would you need to see in person or in a close photograph?