Tarif E Hussain Shahi I - Public domain dedication image

Tarif i-Husayn Shahi a manuscript epic poem containing 12 Deccani Paintings of which 6 are of Khunza Humayun Begum
The miniature illustrates the Dohada theme, in which a tree is made to blossom by a woman's embrace or touch. Only a woman at once lovely and chaste could successfully make this sensuous approach. This charming conceit is as old in Indian art as the sculptures of Barhut and Sanchi: it is used here as a delicate compliment to the queen. The main charm of the picture lies in the palette, here introduced for the first time, the blue ground and gold sky and gold edging to the leaves contrasting vividly with the orange, yellow and mauve-pink of the figures. The whites are cleverly handled to give movement to the composition and sparkle to the women. The striped scarf with which the attendant fans the queen - a ubiquitous feature in Deccan painting - appears in the Malwa Nimat Namah. Published in 1565 AD, this work is a collection of a manuscript "Tarif i-Husayn Shahi". From Douglas E. Barrett, Painting of the Deccan, XVI-XVII Century, London, Faber & Faber, 1958