Late in his career, Rembrandt created a series of unusually meticulous drawings depicting emperors and courtiers from Mughal India. This exhibition explores the Dutch master’s careful studies of imperial Mughal portraiture and places them within a broader circuit of cross-cultural exchanges. By juxtaposing Rembrandt’s drawings with Indian paintings of similar compositions—and pairing Mughal artworks with European prints that inspired them—fascinating stories unfold about the flow of art and ideas across time and oceans.
Shah Jahan and his Son, about 1656–61, Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rijn. Brown ink and brown wash with scratching out on Asian paper toned with light brown wash. The Rijksmuseum, gift of J.G. Bruijn-van der Leeuw, Muri, Switzerland. Image: Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam