A Jesuit priest with a book, folio from the Salim Album

Kesu Das, attributed to

A Jesuit priest, folio from the Salim Album. The Jesuit order first came to the Mughal court in 1580, and remained a longterm presence in India. This priest holds open his book, while the surrounding Persian poetry refers to the debate over religious imagery: "a God-worshipper calls me an idolater. God bless him: he says what is. What expectation do infidels have of a lifeless idol? At least worship an idol that has a soul". The Salim Album refers to a group of thirty (known) folios, today dispersed in international collections. These were once part of a small album of paintings and calligraphy, assembled for the Mughal prince Salim (who from 1605 would reign as the emperor Jahangir), probably during the brief years (1600-1604) that he spent in his own court at Allahabad. Eight of these folios are in the Chester Beatty. Although many have been trimmed down, the surviving Salim Album folios share a similar border scheme, of distinctive gold-painted geometric, cloud collar and floral motifs. The art collection mounted in the prince's album deals mainly with single or paired figures, framed by couplets of Persian poetry: these are contemporary court portraits, small compositions adapted from European print media, or studies of spiritual figures. Folio, ink, colours and gold on paper, mounted on gold-painted card, painting of a Jesuit priest holding an open book, attributed to Kesu Das, Persian verses in nasta`liq script, folio from the Salim Album, assembled Allahabad, India, c. 1600-1605.