February 2024
Welcome to the month of love!
Artwork of the month:
Zebra, 1621 by Ustad Mansur
Ustad (master) Mansur received the highest accolade from emperor Jahangir, the title of Nadir al-Asr (the Wonder of the Age), for his ability to paint and preserve the likenesses of the animals and flowers that engaged the emperor’s attention. Jahangir devoted the longest passage given to any artist in Mughal history to Mansur, stating that “in painting, he is unique in his time.”
The zebra in this painting (Burchell's Zebra) was presented to the Mughal emperor Jahangir (r. 1605-1627) by Mir Ja'far who had acquired it from Turks travelling to the Mughal empire from Ethopia.
When Jahangir had carefully examined it, and ensured that it was not, as some thought, a horse on which someone had painted stripes, he decided to send it to Shah Abbas of Iran, with whom he often exchanged rare or exotic presents.
From Hypothesis to Breakthrough:
Why research matters and how you can be a part of it?
A few pictures from a workshop we conducted at Fergusson College!
