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Muhammad Osman Khan

Claude-André Deseine French

1788

Not on view

In his portrait of the Mysore ambassador, Deseine lends the figure a sense of autonomy and dignity. The artist, who signed this work "deaf and mute," faithfully recorded the delicate folds of Osman Khan’s fine muslin jama (robe), complete with decorative tie closures, asymmetrical neckline, and sash. The stylized chain of flowers encircling his turban, neckline, and sword belt recalls the painter Elisabeth Vigée Le Brun’s account of another Mysore ambassador’s gold-embroidered robe.

Muhammad Osman Khan, Claude-André Deseine (French, 1740–1823), Terracotta with carved wood base — Due to rights restrictions, this image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

Title: Muhammad Osman Khan

Artist: Claude-André Deseine (French, 1740–1823)

Date: 1788

Medium: Terracotta with carved wood base

Dimensions: Including base: 25 9/16 × 15 3/4 × 9 13/16 in. (65 × 40 × 25 cm)
Excluding base: 21 1/4 × 15 3/4 × 9 13/16 in. (54 × 40 × 25 cm)

Classification: Sculpture

Credit Line: Musée du Louvre, Paris, Département des Sculptures, Gift of Pierre-Évariste Villemant, 1934 (RF 2334)

Accession Number: SL.3.2018.28.1

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European Sculpture and Decorative Arts at The Met

The Met's comprehensive collection of European sculpture and decorative arts reflect the development of a number of art forms in Western European countries from the early fifteenth through the early twentieth century.