San Diego Museum of Art - A Storm at Sea

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A Storm at Sea

Basawan (AKA Basavan; Basavana), Indian, (active 1565–1598)
Basawan (AKA Basavan; Basavana), Indian, (active 1565–1598)

Creation date: ca. 1560-1565

Creation place: India

Other Information

Type: Manuscript Painting

Medium and Support: Opaque watercolor and gold on paper

Credit Line: Edwin Binney 3rd Collection

Accession Number: 1990.143

State/Province: Uttar Pradesh

Dimensions: 6 11/32 in. x 3 29/32 in. (16.1 cm x 9.9 cm)

Provenance

George Terasaki, New York, New York ( - November 10, 1966)

Edwin Binney 3rd, San Diego, California (November 10, 1966 - August 27, 1990)

San Diego Museum of Art, San Diego, California (August 27, 1990 - )

Label Copy

The Great Mughals: Power and Patronage (2002-3)
Akbar (The Great), 1542-1605

A STORM ARISES ON THE SEA WHEN KHURSHID IS DECEITFULLY SOLD INTO SLAVERY (TUTINAMA)
Attributed to Basawan
Opaque watercolor and gold on paper, ca. 1560
Edwin Binney 3rd Collection
1990:143

MANUSCRIPT
This leaf comes from a collection of chain stories, like the Arabian Nights, known as the Tutinama or “Tales of a Parrot.” The parrot told a story each night to a lady to catch her attention and deter her from liaisons with other men while her husband was away. The manuscript was another of the fables commissioned by Akbar early in his reign. The story was originally a collection in Sanskrit, but had been adopted by the Persianate world, translated into the Persian language, and the original characters given Persian names. The stories were thus known by both the new Mughal rulers and their Indian subjects.

SUBJECT
This story tells of the beautiful but ill-fated Khurshid who was on a pilgrimage to Mecca when she was captured and sold as a slave to a sea-going merchant. A storm comes up at sea, and as his sailors struggle to pull the drowning crew back on board and control the wind-whipped sail, the merchant realizes it is an omen: he should not have bought the girl.

STYLE
The painting is ascribed to Basawan, a Hindu working at Akbar’s court. Working outside traditional Persian and Indian painting styles, Basawan was interested in representing believable three-dimensional space. His hand is evidenced by the sail filled with air, and the attempt at a plausible space on the deck of the boat. Note the European depicted on board the troubled boat, recognizable by his golden curls.

Last Updated: 9/5/2017

Exhibition

This object was included in the following exhibitions:

Islamic Art from the Collection of Edwin Binney 3rd Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibitions Service , 10/1/1966 - 10/19/1969

Islamic Art Across the World Indiana University Art Museum , 6/18/1970 - 10/1/1970

A Flower from Every Meadow: Indian Paintings from American Collections Asia Society Galleries , 3/21/1973 - 11/11/1973

The Mughal and Deccani Schools: Indian Miniature Painting from the Collection of Edwin Binney, 3rd The Portland Art Association , 12/2/1973 - 3/7/1976

Paintings from the Muslim Courts of India British Museum , 4/13/1976 - 7/11/1976

Akbar's India: Art from the Mughal City of Victory The Asia Society Galleries , 10/10/1985 - 6/15/1986

Myths, Monsters, Maharajas: Introducing the Binney Collection San Diego Museum of Art , 11/23/1991 - 1/26/1992

The Great Mughals: Power and Patronage , 3/13/2003 - 9/1/2003

Domains of Wonder: Selected Masterworks of Indian Painting San Diego Museum of Art , 10/22/2005 - 1/27/2008

Into India: South Asian Paintings from The San Diego Museum of Art San Diego Museum of Art , 2/28/2012 - 5/27/2012

Visible Vaults The San Diego Museum of Art , 11/12/2016 - 00/00/00

Bibliography

This object has the following bibliographic references:

Peter Neill. On a Painted Ocean: New York University Press. New York, New York, 1995
Page Number: 142, 143, Figure Number: 143

Dr. Edwin Binney, 3rd. The Mughal and Deccani Schools Portland Art Museum. Portland, Oregon, 1973
Page Number: 25, 28, 29, Figure Number: 12d

Mr. Stuart Cary Welch. A Flower from Every Meadow: Asia House Gallery. New York, New York, 1973
Page Number: 13

Mr. Stuart Cary Welch and Mark Zebrowski. A Flower from Every Meadow: Asia House Gallery. New York, New York, 1973
Page Number: 92-93, Figure Number: 54b

Richard Ettinghausen. Islamic Art from the Collection of Edwin Binney 3rd Smithsonian Institution. Washington, District of Columbia, 1966
Page Number: 2, 10

Theodore Robert Bowie. Islamic Art from Across the World Indiana University Art Museum. Bloomington, Indiana, 1970
Page Number: 37, no. 121, left:

Michael Brand and Glenn D. Lowry. Akbar's India: The Asia Society Galleries. New York, New York, 1985
Page Number: 28, 29, Figure Number: 10

Michael Brand and Glenn D. Lowry. Akbar's India: The Asia Society Galleries. New York, New York, 1985
Page Number: 138 no. 10

Ralph H. Pinder-Wilson. Paintings from the Muslim Courts of India World of Islam Festival Publishing Company Ltd. London, England, 1976
Page Number: 24 no. 4d, Figure Number: 4d

Dr. Caron Smith. San Diego Museum of Art, San Diego Museum of Art. San Diego, California, 2003
Page Number: 73, Figure Number: 73

Brijinder Nath Goswamy and Dr. Caron Smith. Domains of Wonder: San Diego Museum of Art. San Diego, California, 2005
Page Number: 112, 113, Figure Number: 40

Dr. Sonya Quintanilla and Patrick Coleman. Visiones de la India Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza. Madrid, 2012
Page Number: 126, 276, Figure Number: cat. 50, p. 127

Dr. Sonya Quintanilla and Patrick Coleman. Visiones de la India (Mexico) Instituto Nacional de Antropologia e Historia. Mexico , 2013
Page Number: 82, Figure Number: cat. 49, p. 83