Shah Jahan and his Son

The drawing Shah Jahan and his Son created by the Dutch master Rembrandt van Rijn between 1656 and 1658, is a significant example of his engagement with non-Western subjects. Classified as a drawing, the piece was executed in ink on specialized Japanese paper. This particular medium allowed Rijn to achieve a delicate balance of deep shadow and finely controlled line work, a characteristic common in his late-career graphic studies. The technique shows Rijn adapting his characteristic spontaneity to the demands of portraiture derived from secondary sources.

Rijn’s fascination with the courts of India stemmed not from personal travel but from his extensive collection of prints and miniature paintings originating from the Mughal Empire, which had reached the Netherlands through intensive global trade routes. This cross-cultural work demonstrates the influence of global art exchange during the Dutch Golden Age. The drawing depicts the celebrated ruler, Shah Jahan, known primarily in Europe for commissioning the Taj Mahal, possibly alongside one of his sons, offering a penetrating, almost intimate study of foreign royalty. Unlike many contemporary artists, Rijn sought to capture the psychological depth of his subjects, even those known only through imported sources.

This masterwork is currently held in the esteemed collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. It stands as a testament to Rijn's enduring curiosity and versatility as a graphic artist during this critical period of artistic and global interaction. As one of the most studied drawings from his career, high-quality prints and reproductions of the work are widely available through various collections, often residing in the public domain, allowing broad access to Rijn's mastery of ink portraiture.