A double-sided illustrated and illuminated album page: a Holy Man Standing and Scratching his Head; a Fakir Standing Holding Staffs in Both Hands, India, Mughal, circa 1620

gouache, ink and pencil on paper, painting and drawing on either side of a large album leaf, the miniature extended at the sides at time of mounting in the album, Hindi identifications as 'fakir masant', Hindi clerical note dated 1111 AH/1699-1700 AD in outer border, both sides of album page with inner gold-decorated borders on pink and dark blue grounds and a broad outer margin decorated with flowers in gold, inventory number 20/23

Sotheby's London, Persian and Indian miniatures from the Collection of the British Railway Pension Fund, 23 April 1996, lot 1

In good overall condition, small crease to right hand outer margin edge, slight wear to painting including minor paint loss, otherwise colours and gold bright, as viewed.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

This double-sided leaf most likely once belonged to an album made in the Mughal style in the second half of the seventeenth century (see lot 140 for another page from the same album). A number of other leaves from the album bear portraits of Amber princes, and the subjects are identified in Hindi as well as Persian, suggesting it was prepared for a Rajput patron. The leaves are commonly unfinished with a blank area left on the reverse as if for calligraphy, and there are no signs that the leaves were ever bound. In this instance, it appears that the blank area was filled at an early date with the drawing within its pink paper border.

For other leaves from the same album see Colnaghi 1979, no.19; Spink 1982, no.89; Topsfield 1994, no.18. The inventory numbers on the reverse of many of the pictures in this album are those of the former Rajasthani method of categorisation as used at Udaipur. For an analysis of this method, see Topsfield 1995.