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Foot binding (pinyin: chanzu, literally 'bound feet') was a custom practiced on young girls and women for approximately one thousand years in China, beginning in the 10th century and ending in the first half of 20th century. There is little evidence for the custom prior to the court of the Southern Tang dynasty in Nanjing, which celebrated the fame of its dancing girls, renowned for their tiny feet and beautiful bow shoes.<br/><br/> What is clear is that foot binding was first practised among the elite and only in the wealthiest parts of China, which suggests that binding the feet of well-born girls represented their freedom from manual labor and, at the same time, the ability of their husbands to afford wives who did not need to work, who existed solely to serve their men and direct household servants while performing no labor themselves. Bound feet were considered intensely erotic in traditional Chinese culture. Qing Dynasty sex manuals listed 48 different ways of playing with women's bound feet.<br/><br/> Jean-Baptiste Mauzaisse (November 1784–1844) was a French painter and lithographer. Born in Corbeil, he began studying at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in 1803. His first painting, L'Arabe pleurant son coursier (The Arab Mourning his Steed), won him a first class medal at the exhibition at the Salon in 1812. Mauzaisse's specialty was painting historical subjects, especially battle scenes, but he also painted portraits. In 1822, he was commissioned to decorate several ceilings in the Louvre. He died in Paris.
Indian painting has a very long tradition and history in Indian art. The earliest Indian paintings were the rock paintings of pre-historic times, the petroglyphs as found in places like Bhimbetka, some of them from before 5500 BC. India's Buddhist literature is replete with examples of texts which describe palaces of kings and the aristocratic class embellished with paintings, but the paintings of the Ajanta Caves are the most significant of the few survivals.<br/><br/> Smaller scale painting in manuscripts was probably also practised in this period, though the earliest survivals are from the medieval period. Mughal painting represented a fusion of the Persian miniature with older Indian traditions, and from the 17th century its style was diffused across Indian princely courts of all religions, each developing a local style. Company paintings were made for British clients under the British raj, which from the 19th century also introduced art schools along Western lines, leading to modern Indian painting, which is increasingly returning to its Indian routes.<br/><br/> Indian paintings provide an aesthetic continuum that extends from the early civilization to the present day. From being essentially religious in purpose in the beginning, Indian painting has evolved over the years to become a fusion of various cultures and traditions.
Jahangir (Hindi: नूरुद्दीन सलीम जहांगीर Urdu: سلیم جهانگیر نورالدینPersian: نورالدین سلیم جهانگیر) (full title: Al-Sultan al-'Azam wal Khaqan al-Mukarram, Khushru-i-Giti Panah, Abu'l-Fath Nur-ud-din Muhammad Jahangir Padshah Ghazi [Jannat-Makaani]) (20 September 1569 – 8 November 1627) was the ruler of the Mughal Empire from 1605 until his death in 1627.<br/><br/> Shāh ‘Abbās the Great (or Shāh ‘Abbās I) (Persian: شاه عباس بزرگ) (January 27, 1571 – January 19, 1629) was Shah (king) of Iran, and generally considered the greatest ruler of the Safavid dynasty.<br/><br/> The painting shows Emperor Jahangir of India and Shah Abbas of Persia embracing and is an allegorical representation of the friendship between the Mughal and Safavid empires. Both figures stand atop the world (symbolizing their power) and a lion and lamb lying together (symbolizing peace). The halo behind the two figures that is suspended by cherubs as well as the vivid floral patterns in the borders reveal the influence of European artistic motifs in Mughal painting during the reign of Jahangir.
Jahangir (Hindi: नूरुद्दीन सलीम जहांगीर Urdu: سلیم جهانگیر نورالدینPersian: نورالدین سلیم جهانگیر) (full title: Al-Sultan al-'Azam wal Khaqan al-Mukarram, Khushru-i-Giti Panah, Abu'l-Fath Nur-ud-din Muhammad Jahangir Padshah Ghazi [Jannat-Makaani]) (20 September 1569 – 8 November 1627) was the ruler of the Mughal Empire from 1605 until his death in 1627.<br/><br/> Shāh ‘Abbās the Great (or Shāh ‘Abbās I) (Persian: شاه عباس بزرگ) (January 27, 1571 – January 19, 1629) was Shah (king) of Iran, and generally considered the greatest ruler of the Safavid dynasty.<br/><br/> The painting shows Emperor Jahangir of India and Shah Abbas of Persia embracing and is an allegorical representation of the friendship between the Mughal and Safavid empires. Both figures stand atop the world (symbolizing their power) and a lion and lamb lying together (symbolizing peace). The halo behind the two figures that is suspended by cherubs as well as the vivid floral patterns in the borders reveal the influence of European artistic motifs in Mughal painting during the reign of Jahangir.
Mom Srinagarindra (née Sangvan Talapat; 21 October 1900 – 18 July 1995) was a member of the Thai Royal Family and was a member of the House of Mahidol, which is descended from the Chakri Dynasty. She was married to Prince Mahidol Adulyadej, the Prince of Songkla, son of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) and was the mother of Princess Galyani Vadhana, the Princess of Naradhiwas, King Ananda Mahidol (Rama VIII), and King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX).<br/><br/> Her given name was Sangwal, while her formal name and title were Somdej Phra Srinagarindra Boromarajajonani. In Thailand she was affectionately called Somdej Ya, 'the Royal Grandmother'. By the various hill tribe people, to whom she was a special patron, she was called Mae Fah Luang, 'Royal Mother from the Sky', or 'Heavenly Royal Mother'.
Iran: 'The Lovers'. Opaque watercolour painting by Riza Abbasi (c. 1565–1635), 1630. Riza Abbasi, Riza yi-Abbasi or Reza-e Abbasi, also Aqa Riza or Āqā Riżā Kāshānī was the leading Persian miniaturist of the Isfahan School during the later Safavid period, spending most of his career working for Shah Abbas I (r.1587-1629). He is considered to be the last great master of the Persian miniature, best known for his single miniatures for muraqqa or albums, especially single figures of beautiful youths.