This miniature portrait depicts Arjumand Banu Begum (1593-1631), an Empress of India during the Mughal Dynasty. Also known as Mumtaz Mahal (‘Beloved Ornament of the Palace’ in Persian), she was the wife of the Emperor Shah Jahan. The Emperor built the Taj Mahal as her tomb and memorial.

The miniature was (together with a 19^th-century sardonyx cameo) the first object purchased for the city by the Friends of Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery following their founding in 1931.

Take the opportunity to see this beautiful portrait up close in the Great Hall at Aston Hall from July 19^th to September 3^rd 2023. Admission charges apply to enter Aston Hall.

Accession number: 1932P240.