Shadows of God on Earth: Arts of the Ottomon, Safavid and Mughal Dynasties

June 21 - August 31, 1997

The special exhibition Shadows of God on Earth: Arts of the Ottoman, Safavid and Mughal Dynasties is on display at the Arthur M. Sackler Museum, 485 Broadway, Cambridge, Massachusetts through August 31, 1997. Drawing from the rich resources of the permanent collection at the Sackler and from a private collection, this exhibition, which opened on June 21, explores themes of kingship and courtly life as expressed during the Ottoman, Safavid and Mughal dynasties. Over forty illustrated manuscripts, single-page paintings, textiles, and decorative and utilitarian objects are on display. Shadows of God on Earth is organized by Rochelle Kessler, acting assistant curator, Department of Islamic and Later Indian Art.

At their greatest extent, the last and mightiest of the Islamic dynasties-the Ottomans, Safavids and Mughals-held sway over a massive geographical area that stretched from North Africa to the South Asian subcontinent. Wielding their great military and political powers for over six-hundred years (fourteenth to the twentieth centuries), the rulers of these dynasties were truly embodiments of a standard epithet used from the eleventh century onwards to describe Islamic rulers: "The Shadow of God on Earth" (zill Allah fi al-ard). The sovereign could therefore be seen as God's agent on earth to administer His will and to protect the populace just as a shadow gives protection from the heat of the sun.

The relationship between these premodern empires alternated from warfare to diplomatic cordiality, often dependent on the territorial ambitions of their rulers. Trade between the courts brought about an exchange of intellectual and artistic ideas that were supplemented by contacts with their European and East Asian neighbors. In an era of cultural exchange and great wealth, works of art produced in their capitals reflected a florescence and culmination of the artistic endeavors of preceding Islamic dynasties. Reflecting these artistic, political, and cultural interactions, the paintings that have been selected for the exhibition consist of portraits of rulers, courtiers and beauties of the court, palatial settings and battle scenes. These works provide viewers with insight into the aspects of daily court life and the multi-faceted roles of the mighty rulers as statesmen, military leaders, spiritual exemplars, and patrons of the arts.

The painting Nighttime in a Palace (1539-43) from Safavid Iran depicts, in multiple point perspective, the bustling nocturnal activities of a palace in rich detail. In every courtyard or doorway a story unfolds: three lovely ladies spy on the entertainment below where a princely figure is offered wine and fruit; musicians accompany a youth dancing before a pool of water; young men dig deep into their purses to find enough money to purchase eatables; and an old man stands in front of the door of a mosque dispensing sage advice to a young boy.

Although there are no inscriptions which bear the name of Mir Sayyid 'Ali, this painting bears a close stylistic resemblance to signed works by this Persian master artist. During the time that this miniature was painted, Mir Sayyid 'Ali worked in the imperial atelier of Shah Tahmasp I (1524-76). Under Tahmasp I, patronage of the arts became a hallmark of the Safavid dynasty. In 1549 Mir Sayyid 'Ali left the Safavid court to enter the employ of the Mughal Emperor Humayun (r. 1530-40, 1555-56) who was in exile at Kabul. When Humayun triumphantly returned to reconquer India in 1555, Mir Sayyid followed the emperor and was installed as a master of the newly formed Mughal court workshop. Such events attest to the strong connections between Safavid and Mughal workshops. Artists often sought employment in other courts when patronage was on the wane at home.

Decorative and utilitarian art objects are well-represented in the exhibition and again reflect artistic, political, and cultural influences. An eighteenth-century Indian, Mughal dagger called the katar is characterized by a triangular blade and two parallel bars which extend out past a grip to provide the hand and forearm with protection. This personal weapon designed for lethal forward thrusts originated in the Rajput Hindu courts, but, due to its deadly effectiveness, was soon added to the Mughal repertoire of weapons. Beautifully ornamented katars such as the one displayed in this exhibition were often given as gifts by Mughal emperors to family members and worthy nobles. Two portraits of Shah Jahan on display show highly ornamented katars tucked into the emperor's waistbands.

Other utilitarian objects in the exhibition are contextualized in the paintings on display. These objects can be discovered through very close inspection of tiny details. Close inspection of the paintings also reveals what is literally their jewel-like quality. Viewers should look for tiny pearls and slices of gems, along with gold, silver, and other precious materials that are used to embellish these paintings, which are already exquisite in their color and detail.

A Turkish, Ottoman plate (1575-1600) exemplifies the ceramic wares made in the city of Iznik between the late fifteenth and eighteenth centuries, where some of the most beautiful wares were produced in the Islamic world. The interior of this plate is comprised of stylized and naturalistic floral and vegetal forms typical of wares from the Iznik kilns. The influence of Chinese decorative motifs adapted from Yüan and Ming ceramics is seen in the scalloped, cloud-like bands that ornament the base of the floral bouquet, and the wave and crest pattern on the plate's border. In the mid-sixteenth century, the potters of Iznik began to produce four-colored wares which made the use of red applied so thickly that, as one will see with this plate, it stands out in relief. One of the earliest uses of this brilliant red was in the tiled decorations of the Sülaymaniye Mosque completed in 1557 under Sülayman the Magnificent (r. 1520-1566), whose reign initiated an age of artistic and literary creativity that was to last for more than two hundred years.

Related Events

Gallery Talks
Gallery talks are free with the price of admission to the Art Museums.

Sunday, June 29
with Rochelle Kessler, exhibition curator. Sackler, 2:00 p.m.

Sunday, August 10
with Rochelle Kessler, exhibition curator. Sackler, 2:00 p.m.

In her gallery talks Rochelle Kessler will discuss themes of kingship and courtly life as they are reflected in the works on display. She will also discuss workshop techniques and the resources available to these artists who incorporated many precious materials into their works.