Two Pigeons c. 1610

Curator: Here we have "Two Pigeons," attributed to Abu’l Hasan. The artwork, part of the Harvard Art Museums collection, presents a delicate study in ink, watercolor, and gold on paper. Editor: What strikes me is how ghostly they appear—like half-formed thoughts against a parchment sky. Curator: Exactly. These paintings were very fashionable in the Mughal empire. They served as intimate objects of prestige, displayed in books or albums, and were viewed only by the elite. Editor: I see them perched within a garden of light—perhaps the pigeons symbolize lovers in a courtly romance, tender and fleeting. Curator: Or perhaps they were simply a naturalist's study, intended to capture the beauty of avian life—a celebration of the natural world. Editor: Maybe both. A romance observed by a keen eye. I like that. Curator: It is a delicate dance of art and observation. Editor: So true.