Head of the courtier Iltifat Khan

This life-size head of a nobleman at Shah Jahan’s court is a rare surviving study of a portrait from life, of the kind that the Mughal painters may have referred to when depicting a courtier in an imperial durbar scene. The artist’s first outlines and corrections are visible in the turban and the ear. This is the only known portrait of Iltifat Khan, who lacked ambition and retired early from imperial service.

To view a high-resolution version of this image and for further information please visit the Yousef Jameel Online Centre at the Ashmolean.