Zebra, Imperial Mughal, circa 1621, opaque pigments and gold on paper, folio: 13.8 x 19.7 cm

India’s Fascination with the Natural World
Mughal, Rajput and Company School Paintings
March 13 – 20, 2025
Exhibiting at: Les Enluminures Gallery, 23 East 73rd Street, 7th floor Penthouse
Asia Week Hours: 10am-6pm, dailly (otherwise by appointment)

In 1621, a zebra from East Africa was presented to Emperor Jahangir, who had never seen such an animal before and at first thought its coat had been painted. Francesca Galloway is proud to present one of only three known imperial Mughal paintings of a zebra during next month’s Asia Week. These rare animal paintings reveal the emperors’ fascination with the natural world.

Another aspect of Mughal painting currently under study is the loose paintings with inscriptions and ownership seals on the verso, made by the imperial librarians. This information sometimes tells a fascinating story about the history of a painting, as is the case with their A Farrier Shoeing a Royal Horse, attributed to Mukhlis, c. 1585. The painting belonged to Asaf Khan (brother of the Empress Nur Jahan and father of Mumtaz Mahal) during his lifetime, but was returned to the Imperial Library upon his death in 1641.

Preview these two paintings, along with other fascinating works in their online catalog!

To learn more, click here.