SÄhibdÄ«n
SÄhibdÄ«n (flourished 17th century, India) was an outstanding Indian artist of the MewÄr school of RÄjasthanÄ« painting (see MewÄr painting). He is one of the few RÄjasthanÄ« artists whose name is known, and his work dominated the MewÄr school during the first half of the 17th century. Though he was a Muslim, SÄhibdÄ«n was fully at ease with Hindu themes and painted several series illustrating Hindu religious epics.
SÄhibdÄ«n produced abstract compositions that are full of brilliant colour and are endowed with religious fervour. Among the important examples of his work that have survived are the rÄgamÄlÄ (musical modes) series dated 1628, of which many paintings are now in the National Museum of India; a series on the scriptural text the BhÄgavata-PurÄį¹a, painted in 1648, now in the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Pune; and the sixth book (Yuddha-kÄį¹įøa) of the Hindu epic the RÄmÄyaį¹a, painted in 1652, now located in the British Museum, London.
