{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O73760"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O73760/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AT1470/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AT1470/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AT1470","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017KA8516","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O73760/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O73760","accessionNumber":"IM.23-1928","objectType":"Drawing","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"This drawing of an elephant was probably done in about 1630 at the Mughal court and is identified by a Persian inscription written by emperor Shah Jahan. It records that the animal's name is Mahabir Deb, that it had been presented to the emperor by 'Adil Khan, and that it was worth 60,000 rupees. The Bijapuri ruler sent regular tributes of money and valuable goods, including elephants, to the Mughal emperor. \r\nAn inscription on the back identifies the prince riding the elephant as Dara Shokuh, Shah Jahan's son. There are various seals on both sides of the painting; the earliest is dated 1643-4.","physicalDescription":"Painting, watercolour, ink and gold on paper, depicting an imperial elephant with rider, the animal walks to the left, guided by a young Mughal prince who sits on the elephant's  neck, holding a gold ankus in his right hand. The elephant wears a gold saddle cloth with a pattern of scarlet tulips. The head band, tassel, and crupper chain are also painted gold. Beneath the stomach is the inscription written by the emperor Shah Jahan.","artistMakerPerson":[],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"watercolour","id":"AAT15045"},{"text":"paint","id":"AAT15029"},{"text":"paper","id":"AAT14109"},{"text":"gold","id":"AAT11021"},{"text":"ink","id":"AAT15012"}],"techniques":[{"text":"drawn","id":"x30545"},{"text":"painted","id":"AAT54216"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Watercolour, ink and gold on paper","categories":[{"text":"Paintings","id":"THES48917"},{"text":"Animals and Wildlife","id":"THES250852"},{"text":"Bonita Trust Indian Paintings Cataloguing Project","id":"THES263148"}],"styles":[{"text":"Mughal","id":"AAT18939"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"SSEA","id":"THES48598"},"images":["2006AT1470","2017KA8516"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"006","id":"THES403497"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"drawing","id":"AAT33973"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Mughal Empire","id":"THES262021"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"c. 1630","earliest":"1625-01-01","latest":"1634-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"reign of Shah Jahan"}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"326","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"12/06/2013","earliest":"2013-06-12","latest":"2013-06-12"},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"406","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"12/06/2013","earliest":"2013-06-12","latest":"2013-06-12"},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"12/06/2013 dimensions measured as part of Indian Paintings Cataloguing Project 2013","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"'Likeness of Mahabir Deb, which formerly had the name Khush Khan. The gift of 'Adil Khan. Value 60,000 rupees'","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""},{"content":"","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"'Likeness of Dara Shokuh'","transliteration":"'shabih-e dara shokuh'","type":"","note":"Inscribed on the reverse."},{"content":"","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"[date, equivalent to 1769-1770 AD]","transliteration":"'1183 AH'","type":"","note":"inscription on square seal on the front"},{"content":"","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"[date, equivalent to 1643-4 AD]\r\n\r\n","transliteration":"'hakim salih khan murid-e Shah Jahan, sanah 1053 16'","type":"","note":"circular seal on reverse; reading by Robert Skelton. The regnal year 16 begins end of 1052, so 1053/16 is equivalent to 1643-4"},{"content":"","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Other seals have dates of 1062, and transfer note of year 41 [see SSEA accession register for full details]"}],"objectHistory":"The drawing was given by Robert Scott Greenshields, fomerly of the Indian Civil Service. He was educated at Birkenhead School and appointed to the ICS after his examination in 1877. He arrived in India on 9 December 1879 and served as assistant magistrate and collector; trs to Assam in March 1882; assistant commissioner March 1886. Officiated as director of land revenue and agriculture 1889; deputy commissioner, Nov 1890; magistrate and collector in Bengal, Nov 1897; retired February 1910. See RP 28/5472","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Brush drawing, imperial elephant with rider, ink, watercolour and gold on paper, Mughal, c. 1630","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Swallow, Deborah and John Guy eds. <font u>Arts of India: 1550-1900</font u>. text by Rosemary Crill, John Guy, Veronica Murphy, Susan Stronge and Deborah Swallow. London : V&A Publications, 1990. 240 p., ill. ISBN 1851770224, p.93, no.72."},{"reference":{"text":"STRONGE, Susan. <u>Painting for the Mughal Emperor: The Art of the Book 1560 – 1660</u> London : V&A Publications, 2002. 192p, ill. ISBN 1 85177 358 4.","id":"AUTH326134"},"details":"p. 165 pl. 128","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"Topsfield, Andrew, An introduction to Indian Court Painting, H.M.S.O., London, 1984, 0112903835","id":"AUTH337273"},"details":"p. 27, cat. no. 18.","free":""}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"An imperial elephant with rider.","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Mahabir Deb","id":"N1744"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"elephant","id":"AAT237963"},{"text":"prince","id":"AAT25482"},{"text":"jewellery","id":"AAT209286"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["IM.23-1928"],"accessionNumberNum":"23","accessionNumberPrefix":"IM","accessionYear":1928,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-04-09","recordCreationDate":"2003-02-03","availableToBook":false}}