Word Meaning
मुसव्वर
musawwir
Meaning
A painter, artist, portraitist, or illustrator; one who fashions forms.
Detailed Meaning
'Musawwir' denotes a painter, portrait maker, or artist who sketches images. In this couplet, 'aurāq-e-musawwir' signifies the sketch-leaves or album of a painter, illustrating how the streets of Delhi were filled with faces so beautiful they seemed painted. It highlights both artistic perfection and the radiant beauty of the city's inhabitants.
Etymology
Arabic (مُصَوِّر, muṣawwir), active participle of the root ṣ-w-r (ص-و-ر) meaning 'to form, shape, or depict'.
Usage
In classical Urdu poetry, 'musawwir' frequently represents God as the supreme artist or a mortal painter humbled by the beloved's unpaintable beauty.
Examples
Whatever sketch the painter attempts to draw of you
The painter stands astonished beholding your radiant cheek