Picture Details
From Nimmatnama-i Nasiruddin-Shahi (the Book of Recipes)
Partner:
British LibraryImage reference:
BL.I.O.Isl.149.f.4bOrigin:
Deccan, IndiaArtist / Date:
Unknown, c.1495-1505Size:
310 x 215 mmDescription:
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Ghiyas-ud-din Khalji, the Sultan of Mandu (ruled 1469-1500), was a sybarite who cut himself off from the cares of state to amuse himself with food, drink and innumerable women. By this period, north India had a fairly unified painting style from the combination of two sources, Hindu-Jaina and Persian. The convention was to depict Indians in full profile and non-Indians with three-quarter profile. Nimmatnamah or Book of Recipes (written in Persian) appears to have been filled with delicacies and aphrodisiacs for Ghiyas-ud-din's benefit but completed in the reign of his son Nasir-ud-din Shah. In this image cows are being milked and the text deals with both Kheer or milk pudding and Kheema or savoury mincemeat. The book advises that in order to get the sweetest milk for puddings, a well-marked cow should be selected and fed on sugar cane for weeks and her milk then utilised.
