On loan to The Met The Met accepts temporary loans of art both for short-term exhibitions and for long-term display in its galleries.
Elephant and Rider
This elephant from the royal stables of Shah Jahan stands patiently in profile while his rider sits holding the ankus, a goad used to control the animals. The sumptuous gold brocade saddle cloth is adorned with lilies, tulips, and other typically Mughal flowers arranged in registers. Symmetrical flowering bushes on the ground echo the same formality.