Virgin and Child with Two Angels

In the foreground of the painting is a large Virgin Mary holding the Christ Child at the bank of a river. The Christ Child clutches onto a book with his left hand, while his right hand plays with an emerald from the Virgin’s necklace. Floating about them, against a marbled sky, are two angels. Bedecked with pearls and jewels, the one on the left carries a tray, while the one on the right carries a gold, bejeweled crown. On the left is a domed complex that resembles a Muslim mausoleum. Towards the bottom left is a large group of people; some of them are robed and turbaned, while others simply wear loin cloths and have shaved heads. One turbaned and robed figure is seated on a mat surrounded by several standards, including the trishul, the Hindu god Shiva’s trident, suggesting that some of the figures may be Shaivite ascetics. The robed and bearded figures, especially those with fur-trimmed hats, are ascetics that belong to Sufism, the mystical branch of Islam. The thick, outer margin is decorated with a variety of colorful flowering plants, including roses, irises, tulips, and daffodils. The inner border framing the painting is blue with gold scrolling flowers and leaves. The painting is mostly black ink on cream paper that has been pasted into the decorative borders.