A Begum
TSM Accession: 2005-396
Pleach No: PIF/00DMP11
Title: A Begum
Style: Golconda School (Deccani Miniature)
Artist: Unknown
Medium: Watercolour on paper
Dimensions: 16 x 11 cms
Period: 17th-18th Century CE
Rights: Telangana State Museum, Hyderabad
Documented by: Pleach India Foundation, Hyderabad
The painting offers a glimpse into the women’s life during Qutb Shahi era. The Qutb Shahi era is portrayed in the painting by extensive use of gold along with the dynamic flow of the figurative emotions with the subtle colour scheme.
A Begum, adorned in a blue cloak and gold jewellery, sits regally on a red carpet. A female servant stands before her, holding a hookah pipe, and Begum feeds a crow. The vibrant use of gold and simple yet flowing figures reflects the era’s style. This artwork shows the Deccani royalty in their attire and pearly-diamond jewellery. The background showcases a painted sky, a gallery, a champa tree, stairs and a flower garden, all bathed in a subtle colour scheme that enhances the artwork’s beauty.
