museums – Rana Safvi https://ranasafvi.com A blog exploring India's Ganga Jamuni Tehzeeb or its rich multi plural multi cultural heritage via its adab, tehzeeb & tareekh Tue, 28 Mar 2023 02:53:56 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.2 https://ranasafvi.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/image-7-75x75.jpg museums – Rana Safvi https://ranasafvi.com 32 32 179612229 Dervesh and Lion https://ranasafvi.com/dervesh-and-lion/ https://ranasafvi.com/dervesh-and-lion/#respond Tue, 28 Mar 2023 02:53:56 +0000 https://ranasafvi.com/?p=38238 And here is another dervish with a lion painted Padareth.
If a bear represents nafs over which the dervish has gained controlled what does lion represent?
Ranjit Hoskote says:
In Indian Sufism, there is often a symbolic equivalence between ‘qalandar’ (questor) & ‘haidar’ (lion). Idries Shah writes that ‘qalb al-nimr’, the ‘heart of the lion’ indicated a step in the initiatory process of the Sufi. And, of course, Imam Ali was Asadullah, the Lion of God.

]]> https://ranasafvi.com/dervesh-and-lion/feed/ 0 38238 “Akbar With Lion and Calf”, painted by Govardhan Folio from the Shah Jahan Album,verso: ca. 1630; recto: ca. 1530–50~ Met Museum https://ranasafvi.com/akbar-with-lion-and-calf-painted-by-govardhan-folio-from-the-shah-jahan-albumverso-ca-1630-recto-ca-1530-50-met-museum/ Tue, 26 Mar 2019 00:57:00 +0000 https://ranasafvi.com/akbar-with-lion-and-calf-painted-by-govardhan-folio-from-the-shah-jahan-albumverso-ca-1630-recto-ca-1530-50-met-museum/

Gallery Text :

This posthumous portrait of Akbar incorporates the Elizabethan-derived motif of a lion and calf living in peace under the emperor’s benign rule. Govardhan, a master of psychological portraiture, has given the calf an air of meek nervousness, as expressed in its sideways glance and lowered ears, due no doubt to the proximity of the lion’s visible teeth. Cherubs above and a Netherlandish background add cosmopolitan touches in vogue at the time.

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/451268

From gallery website

]]> 12635