A non-teaser!

[shweta_narayan]

Some scholar from tithenai's Syria wandered into my head and dictated an essay about my real diplomatic missive between imaginary countries (on offer for con_or_bust! Where you can still bid on it! *nudgenudge*). I figured I'd share, since it's always good to shed light on important alternate-historical documents

Comments

[shweta_narayan]

:):)

[joycemocha]

Fascinating! Reminds me that I want to do more thinky-thinks about Dutch colonialism and the mutual cultural influences between the colonizer and the colonized. When we went to Amsterdam, I was surprised at the Asian influences I saw there, some very old. It was also interesting to note the differences/similarities between Asian influences in Amsterdam and on the Pacific Rim. Very subtle things in flavors, other stuff I wouldn't know the terminology for (because I lack art history background) but still can see. Perhaps it's a difference in source.

[shweta_narayan]

Definitely playing with that here, since in my alternate world the Mughals are taking on European influences without being colonized, so -- choosing rather than having it be forced on 'em :)

[txanne]

Your fake scholar makes me want to read your real scholarly output! Also, the Padishah Begum gets more beautiful every time I look at her (which is often, because she's my wallpaper on this computer).

[shweta_narayan]

My real scholarly output doesn't sound like this! I try to use normal English to the extent I can :)

Also <3 !

[la_marquise_de_]

Thank you: that is a wonderful insight.

[shweta_narayan]

Yay!
The imaginary scholar is a bit pompous, but I think they know their stuff :)

[pameladean]

Oh, wonderful. You may laugh at me, but since I am not very visual, this fortunate discovery is actually useful in making me look properly at the painting. Do let me know should you discover a monograph on the function of astronomical objects in such works of art. I could, of course, look it up, but I'm not sure that what I found would be entirely consonant with the universe in question.

P.

[shweta_narayan]

I could, of course, look it up, but I'm not sure that what I found would be entirely consonant with the universe in question.

I burst out laughing at this line!

The use of stars is a relatively new thing in the relevant universe, as the lower horizon line is still quite novel. However, the sun and moon have long been used to imply -- or outright serve as -- haloes around depicted monarchs. A theologically controversial convention, of course, but one that has lasted many generations.

[zwol]

Hm! That might be the answer to the question I was about to ask: the moon is depicted with the lighted limb pointing away from the sun. While this departure from reality is obviously intentional, I wasn't sure whether to attribute it to a convention of the style (a crescent moon is always depicted in this orientation, regardless of the position of the sun), artistic license for this picture (if it faced the other way it would clash with the Padishah's head, even if moved somewhat to the left), or whether it, too, had some subtle political meaning. You hint at an explanation sort of a mix of all three -- it wouldn't work as a monarchial halo in any other orientation.

[shweta_narayan]

Yes, it's the mix of the three, but there's another aspect to it as well Even where shadows define shape, lighting in the image is pretty consistently from above-and-left; there is no point light source in that location, but then the point light source is as foreign to Mughal art as the single-point perspective, so this is perhaps to be expected.

The sun's location is therefore almost entirely irrelevant to the lighting in the image, and matters only for the sky; however, from the sky and the known geography, it would be below the horizon at this point, and to the left. So the moon's lighting is not pointing directly away from it.