Picture Details
From Nimmatnama-i Nasiruddin-Shahi (the Book of Recipes)
Partner:
British LibraryImage reference:
BL.I.O.Isl.149.f.118bOrigin:
Deccan, IndiaArtist / Date:
Unknown, c.1495-1505Size:
310 x 215 mmDescription:
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The Nimmatnamah or Book of Recipes is a Persian work covering the art of courtly cuisine. Its epicurean delights (and aphrodisiacal concoctions) appear to have been compiled for Ghiyas-ud-din Khalji, the Sultan of Mandu (ruled 1469-1500), who enjoyed food and drink and the company of women. This image shows the Sultan and his attendants involved with the process of making and enjoying paan or betel chews. The ingredients enumerated which fill the fragrant paan include lime paste, catechu and cardamom. An elaborate paan would contain fragrant spices and rose preserve with chopped arecanuts. 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.
