Portrait of Murad Bakhsh (1624–61)c. 1635; borders c. 1700s · Study 2013.327

Context from the museum

The miniature portrait of a Mughal prince is now mounted on an album page. Originally, it was in a gemstone setting as a “portrait jewel” to be worn by family and supporters at court. India’s ruling elite had been wearing portrait jewels since Sir Thomas Rowe (about 1581–1655) presented British portrait miniatures and cameos to the Mughal emperor as part of a diplomatic gift in 1616, when he successfully negotiated for British access to India’s ports.

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

A detail to notice

This portrait belonged to a cousin of Sir Winston Churchill.

Observation supplied by the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Read the dimensions before the image

The selected painting measurement for Portrait of Murad Bakhsh (1624–61) is 3.5 cm wide and 4.3 cm high, equivalent to approximately 1.4 × 1.7 inches. Dividing width by height gives a format ratio of 0.81:1. The rectangular bounding area is 0.00 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 1.2% of the span before adding a frame. A centered placement leaves approximately 148.3 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 Portrait of Murad Bakhsh (1624–61) 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 3.5 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?