Portrait of Raja Bikramajit (Sundar Das), Bichitr

"portrait of raja bikramajit (sundar das)", folio from the shah jahan album painting by bichitr (active ca. 1610–60) calligrapher: mir 'ali haravi (d. Ca. 1550) object name: album leaf reign: jahangir (1605–27), recto date: recto: ca. 1620; verso: ca. 1540 geography: india medium: ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper dimensions: 15 1/4 x 10 1/8in. (38. 7 x 25. 7cm) classification: codices credit line: purchase, rogers fund and the kevorkian foundation gift, 1955 accession number: 55. 121. 10. 1 this artwork is not on display sundar das was a hindu whoses ancestors had been considerable landowners. He entered the service of prince khurram (shah jahan) and in 1617 jahangir awarded him the title of raja bikramajit "which among hindus is the highest" as jahangir wrote in his memoirs. Raja bikramajit was a brilliant military strategist and instrumental to the success of prince khurram's campaigns in the deccan. In shah jahan's rebellion against jahanagir in 1623–24, raja bikramajit sided with the prince, and when he was killed in battle, jahangir was unashamedly gleeful, writing "by losing him the wretch [shah jahan] lost courage, as though his luck, ambition, and reason were all found up with that hindu dog. " in bichitr's brilliant portrait, the figure positively pulses with life. Date: Date:; recto: ca. 1620; verso: ca. 1540.