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 I figured I'd share, since it's always good to shed light on important alternate-historical documents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

[zwol]

I love how the layers of meaning combine with the layers in the art itself and imply a whole third set of layers to the politics of the time. Also, from a purely artistic perspective, I like the use of contrast between high and low detail. It makes my eye keep moving around and noticing stuff.

[shweta_narayan]

:) :)

There's low detail? You must mean the areas I only did at 100% zoom on the huge version, rather than 200% zoom :D

[zwol]

Well, her face stands out partially because it's an area of solid color. And I was also thinking of the water, which has lots of detail but in a more subdued manner than her hands or the railings. Or the sky, come to think of it. I keep looking back at the curlicues of smoke from the chimneys.

[shweta_narayan]

and yet -- the face, water, and sky are THE places where I had to save & close the file every few minutes because I was running out of memory :D

[sovay]

On The Political Implications Of The Portrait of Hindustan's Padishah Begum

So when's your book of collaborations with tithenai coming out?

[shweta_narayan]

Sometime after we do some collaborations that are more than much-discussion and me playing in shared-world space? Which may have to wait till after her thesis. But would be AWESOME if we can do it :)
I wanna play with Amal!

[tithenai]

I wanna play with Shweta! Oh man, to have Hessa craft a dream-coronet for a Mechanical Empress... And all the things that could CHANGE... *flails*
But, yeah. Thesis. First. Boof.

[shweta_narayan]

On the plus side, by the time thesis is done I may have the energy to keep up with you :)

"Too much perfume, Jahanara."

[csecooney]

She is so beautiful. SO BEAUTIFUL.

Will you be selling prints of these some day?

- Claire

Re: "Too much perfume, Jahanara."

[shweta_narayan]

<3

I've pondered selling prints but atm that would take spoons.

Re: "Too much perfume, Jahanara."

[csecooney]

Well, one day, whatever day, WHENEVER day, if you have enough spoons, I'll be standing in line! And if not, perhaps you'll have spoons enough to delegate the task to someone with spoons. If that makes any sense. And if not, just knowing that it exists and viewing it here is enough!

Re: "Too much perfume, Jahanara."

[shweta_narayan]

But.. didn't you get an early copy of steam powered?

[gaudysalamander]

I. . . wow. . .*jawdrop* Beautiful

(and how dorky is it of me that I picked up on the European influences on the Mughal style, and even think I know which portrait you refer to (the one with Nur Jahan wearing a feathered headpiece and elaborate jhumkas, yes? In Padshah Begum's Hindustan does the same painting exist, or is the one your Syrian scholar refers to an imaginary painting? )

[shweta_narayan]

It is AWESOME and makes me happy that you picked up on those things!
And, yes, I think we're thinking of the same picture! This one? I stole from referred to it pretty shamelessly :)

And yes! The same painting, or something very much like it, exists in Jahanara's Hindustan :) Mechanical people aside, my timeline only starts to split majorly in the 1650s or so.

[tithenai]

LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE
THAT IS ALL.

NO WAIT.

LOVE!!

[shweta_narayan]

<3