The Mughal emperors keenly collected European paintings and engravings, many of which were brought to the court in the late 16th and early 17th century by successive Jesuit missions who travelled to Delhi, Agra and Lahore from Portuguese Goa. The artists employed by the emperor Akbar (r. 1556-1605) often copied these exotic works of art. The anonymous artist of this painting has based his work on an engraving of St. Luke by the German engraver and printmaker Hans Sebald Beham (1500-1550), from his series of the Four Evangelists published in 1541.

A bearded figure in a blue robe and black hat with long-sleeved pink short tunic stands in a landscape facing right. He holds a large closed book under his right arm and a smaller, open book in his left hand. The painting is mounted on a later album page.

This painting based on an engraving by Hans Sebald Beham, was mounted on an Indian album page at a later date, probably in the 18th century. Given to the museum in 1952 by Col. T. G. Gayer-Anderson, CMG, DSO and his brother Major R. G. Gayer-Anderson, Pasha

Historical significance: This is an example of a Mughal artist of the early 17th century copying a European engraving probably brought to the court by one of the Jesuit missions from Goa. The format and dimensions of the painting are similar to a group of pages conventionally known as "The Salim Album", after the Mughal prince Salim who was later the emperor Jahangir. The album was dispersed at an unknown date and the pages are now found in collections worldwide, including the Chester Beatty Library in Dublin.

Source : V&A, London