Portrait of an Aging Man
Unknown Artist
c. 1700
Medium
Ink and gum tempera on paper
Dimensions
18 × 13.3 cm
Classification
Drawing
Department
Indian and Southeast Asian Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Cornelia Blakemore Warner Fund
Accession Number
1968.41
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
This sensitive portrait survives as a fragment, part of a study for a larger painting. This man’s Mughal tunic, with a katar dagger tucked into the sash, indicates that he is a noble, probably Hindu, because the tunic is tied under the left arm. The gesture of his right hand—just a ghost of an indication—and slightly parted lips suggest that he is making a request. His upright posture reveals an inner strength and dignity despite the affliction to his eyes, which seem no longer able to see.