A mendicant bowing before a holy man, from the Prince Salim Album, c. 1585; inner border added in Allahabad c. 1602; outer border added probably 1900s. Basavana (Indian, active c. 1560-1600). Opaque watercolor, ink, and gold on paper; page: 32.7 x 21.1 cm (12 7/8 x 8 5/16 in.); painting: 13.6 x 7.5 cm (5 3/8 x 2 15/16 in.). This finished painting, made to look like a tinted drawing, depicts two holy men in the wilderness. The Sufi mystic holding a book and a rosary, and wearing a coarse blue garment, receives an ascetic who has laid down his bowl, bag, and staff to touch the mystics feet with his brow in a sign of total devotion. The verse at the top is a well-known quotation from a lyrical poem by the celebrated Persian poet Hafiz: I have fallen at his feet, grieving and wailing. Could it be that I might receive a helping hand? The depth of character in the expressions and gestures along with the masterful use of soft brushwork and shading are hallmarks of Akbars leading Mughal art