A Pair of Mynas

Archival giclee print on (German) Hahnemuhle paper

9 x 13 inches

ca. 1620, India, opaque color on paper

This striking painting depicts two Myna birds on a vibrant red background. The artist has captured subtle gestures that bring these birds to life, including the open beak of the male Myna and the bunched claw of the female.

Natural history paintings produced in Mughal India in the seventeenth century were a favorite genre of the emperor Jahangir (r. 1605–27). The emperor’s interest in the natural world led to the creation of many striking paintings documenting the flora and fauna and birdlife of the seventeenth century.