Ferocious Falcon
Ferocious Falcon

Currently not on view

Ferocious Falcon,

late 18th century

Anonymous
Indian
2010-137
Depictions of hunting birds as princely accessories in portraits of Indian rulers are not uncommon, but paintings of individual birds are highly unusual. Clearly, this was an important and much-loved falcon. Posed much like a ruler or fine gentleman in profile, the bird has a distinctive white and gray feather pattern that has been captured with great care. The matching ochre-colored hood and leg tassels also speak to its status as a highly prized, trained raptor.
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More About This Object

South Asian Art Enhance the Collections

Information

Title
Ferocious Falcon
Dates

late 18th century

Maker
Anonymous
Medium
Opaque watercolor on paper
Dimensions
33.0 x 22.2 cm. (13 x 8 3/4 in.)
Credit Line
Museum purchase, Fowler McCormick, Class of 1921, Fund
Object Number
2010-137
Place Made

India, Punjab Hills

Inscription
Inscribed on back: "Bheekham Baaz" which means "Ferocious Falcon." Written in Hindi-Urdu.
Description
A red-hooded hunting bird painted in profile perched on a stand with its legs tethered by cords. The blank background shows traces of writing and some stains. Areas of paper repair and ink writing on the reverse. While paintings of hunting birds as princely accessories in portraits of rulers is not uncommon, paintings an individual bird as an animal portrait is highly unusual. The hawk in this painting is similar in appearance to hawks depicted in paintings by the great master Nainsukh (c. 1710-1778) of Guler. This may suggest that the painting was executed by one of his workshop followers or someone in his circle. It is also possible that this animal portrait derives from outside the Punjab Hills from the growing practice of naturalist paintings produced in the 18th and 19th centuries by Indian and Chinese artists working in India, sometimes for colonial patrons. A similar image of a parrot tethered to a stand was painted in the Patna area by Hulas Lal (c. 1785-1875) in about 1870.
Culture
Indian, Bijapur
Type
watercolors, drawings
Materials
watercolor, paper (fiber product)
Subject
hunting, portraits, down, talons, red, birds, hoods (headgear), white (color), stands (support furniture)

–2010 Sam Fogg, Ltd., (London, United Kingdom), sold to the Princeton University Art Museum, 2010.

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The Museum regularly researches its objects and their collecting histories, updating its records to reflect new information. We also strive to catalogue works of art using language that is consistent with how people, subjects, artists, and cultures describe themselves. As this effort is ongoing, the Museum’s records may be incomplete or contain terms that are no longer acceptable. We welcome your feedback, questions, and additional information that you feel may be useful to us. Email us at collectionsinfo@princeton.edu.

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