A mendicant bowing before a holy man, from the Prince Salim Album — Basavana (Indian, active c. 1560–1600) — The Cleveland Museum of Art · Gift in honor of Madeline Neves Clapp; Gift of Mrs. Henry White Cannon by exchange; Bequest of Louise T. Cooper; Leonard C. Hanna Jr. Fund; From the Catherine and Ralph Benkaim Collection · CC0. Museum object record ↗

Painting study · Ink painting

A mendicant bowing before a holy man, from the Prince Salim Albumc. 1585; inner border added in Allahabad c. 1602; outer border added probably 1900s · Study 2013.296

Basavana (Indian, active c. 1560–1600)
c. 1585; inner border added in Allahabad c. 1602; outer border added probably 1900s

Recorded as Gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper, this vertical work measures 7.5 × 13.6 cm using the museum’s painting dimensions. Explore the museum’s context and compare the format with a wall of your choice.

Explore its scale ↓Shop Lei-Kol paintings

Museum collection reference. This work is not offered for sale by Physical Art For Crypto. Museum attribution does not imply a partnership or endorsement.

Context from the museum

As the Mughal atelier grew into the 1580s, Indian artists become increasingly adept at incorporating Persian styles with a new dimensionality and naturalism that Akbar promoted, possibly based on his appreciation of European prints and paintings. Here, a sincere holy man wears robes tinged lightly with blue. He stands beneath a tree in the wilderness with a loyal jackal by his side. A devotee touches his head to his feet. The artist’s tiny signature is written on the alms bowl. Connoisseurs of Persian art in the Islamic world praised an artist’s virtuoso ability to work on a microscopic scale.

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

A detail to notice

The dog stares hungrily at the mendicant’s alms bowl, with the artist’s signature.

Observation supplied by the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Read the dimensions before the image

The selected painting measurement for A mendicant bowing before a holy man, from the Prince Salim Album is 7.5 cm wide and 13.6 cm high, equivalent to approximately 3.0 × 5.4 inches. Dividing width by height gives a format ratio of 0.55:1. The rectangular bounding area is 0.01 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 2.5% of the span before adding a frame. A centered placement leaves approximately 146.3 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 mendicant bowing before a holy man, from the Prince Salim Album in view, identify one feature you can point to, then distinguish what the museum records from your personal response. Keep its medium, Gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper, in your notes when comparing contemporary works.

Which part of this vertical composition catches your eye first?
Would a 7.5 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?

Explore physical scale

How large would this format feel on your wall?

Use this museum work’s recorded format as a reference. Adjust a blank wall and optional frame allowance to compare proportions. The museum painting is an educational reference and is not for sale here.

Units

Wall width (cm)

Wall height (cm)

Frame each side (cm)

2.5%of wall width, including allowance

7.5 × 13.6 cmmodeled outside dimensions

Within the entered wall dimensions146.3 cm each side when centered

Calculation: outside width = recorded width + twice your frame allowance. This is a proportion study, not an installation assessment. It excludes furniture, hardware, load capacity, depth and delivery clearance. The display image may include margins absent from the recorded measurement.

Compare formats with the studio collection

These Lei-Kol works have the closest width-to-height ratios in the current catalog. This is a geometry comparison, not a claim of artistic similarity, equivalent value, or association with the museum artist.