Portret van Madanna Panit, belastingklerk (majmudar) van Abul Hasan Padshah c. 1677 - 1687

This portrait of Madanna Panit, a tax clerk, was painted by an anonymous artist. It’s a study in watercolor on paper. This work’s social significance emerges from its precise application of paint. The paper support, likely handmade, has a slight texture that subtly interacts with the washes of color. Look at the fine detail in the floral patterns of the border, and Madanna Panit’s robe. The artist had mastery over their tools, and the process of layering colors to build up form. Consider also the symbolism of the materials: paper was a valuable commodity, and its use here signals the importance of record-keeping and administration in the Abul Hasan Padshah’s court. The meticulous details of Madanna Panit’s clothing and jewelry underscore his position as a key figure in the collection of taxes, a critical function for the court. The artist’s skill, combined with the value of the materials, elevates what might otherwise be a simple portrait into a statement about labor, class, and the structures of power.