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and he's looking respectfully in the direction of Jahangir,
他恭敬地朝着贾汉吉尔的方向看去
but most significant is
但最重要的
that the gesture he's making with his hands,
是他做出的手势
like that, are the gesture of Indian deferential respect.
他那样的手势在印度代表着恭敬的姿态
No Turk would ever have done that.
没有土耳其人会那样做
But if the Ottoman sultan is belittled
但如果奥斯曼苏丹是被贾汉吉尔的
by Jahangir's court painter,
宫廷画家所故意贬低
it says nothing compared
这跟发生在英国国王
to what happens to King James I of England,
詹姆士一世身上的事相比并不算什么
who is placed below the emperor's feet,
国王身处大帝的脚下
wearing a look of what can only be described as sour resentment
他的表情只能说是对于自己在社会等级中
at his low place in the pecking order.
低下的地位而感到的心酸和怨恨
And the artist who's doing this and who was enjoying it all,
这幅画的创作者是乐在其中的
has an exquisite self-portrait at the bottom of the painting.
他在这幅画的底部有一幅精致的自画像
His name is Bichitra. He's a Hindu,
他叫比奇特拉 是个印度人
we know that by the saffron robe.
可以从他身着的橘黄色长袍判断出来
And it's a beautiful, beautiful profile self-portrait.
这是一幅极美的侧面自画像
Exquisite details of the beard, of the turban,
胡须 头巾和他作画的手
of his painterly hand,
都刻画得非常精细
almost as refined as the
几乎能与他在描绘大帝时
technique he's used for the emperor himself.
所用的精妙绘画技巧相媲美
In fact, this is a doubly reflective self-portrait -
事实上 这是一幅具有双重意义的自画像
a miniature of a miniature,
是一种精细刻画的小型绘画
the one Bichitra is holding and which tells us everything
比奇特拉手中拿着的这幅画告诉了我们
about the ambiguous status of the Mughal artist.
莫卧儿艺术家模棱两可的地位
There are the signs of favour -
这些都是恩惠的象征
an elephant and two horses
一头象和两匹马
which the emperor has given his painter
这是大帝赐予他的画家的
but on an understood condition.
但有一个心照不宣的条件
Ultimately for all that he's slipstreaming behind the power
他可以享受贾汉吉尔权力和荣耀的荫庇
and the glory of Jahangir, he knows his place
但最终他要知道自己的位置
and that's defined by the last detail in that tiny
这点可以从一个极小的细节中看出来
frame of him kneeling, prostrating himself
他那细小的身躯拜倒在
at the feet of the Seizure of the World.
这位世界征服者的脚下
And look where he is.
再看看他所处的位置
He has literally backed himself into a corner.
他把自己放在了最角落的地方
For when all is said and done,
因为说到底
these intricate beautiful paintings are miniatures,
这些复杂精美的画只是细密画
book illustrations contained within the framing page,
是书籍扉页的插画
and their enjoyment confined to the emperor,
它们的欣赏者仅限于大帝
his court and anyone he sought to impress.
他的宫廷和他想要打动的人
Only once, albeit spectacularly,
仅有一次 尤为壮观地
did Jahangir make art visible to all of his subjects.
贾汉吉尔将艺术呈现在了他所有子民眼前
On the outer wall of Lahore Fort,
在拉合尔堡的外墙上
