2-739-375 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

Rooster, c. 1620. This bird, with its fierce expression, sharp beak, and spurred feet, may have been a champion in the cockfighting ring. The Mughal emperor Jahangir requested that his royal court artists paint portraits of remarkable birds and animals with as much realism as possible. He felt that such paintings enhanced feelings of amazement beyond hearing or reading an account.