gouache heightened with gold on paper, laid down on an album page, with gold scrolling lotus palmette border reserved on a blue ground, a further border with offset rows of gold lotus plants, enclosed by gold and coloured rules, nasta'liq inscription above and English inscription below, the reverse with a flowering rose surrounded by scrolling lotus vine and a blue and gold sprinkled border with red and gold rules

Muhammad Shah (r.1719-48) was responsible for reviving the Mughal painting tradition that had dwindled during Aurangzeb and his successors' reigns. A number of portraits of Muhammad Shah were produced by his court atelier, often portraying him in profile, seated upon a horse or throne. Here the emperor is shown holding a falcon which is emblematic of his royal power. Another portrait depicting Muhammad Shah with a falcon is the famous painting attributed to Chitarman in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (Cummins 2006, p.76, pl.37).