A COURTIER RECEIVING A DIVINE REVELATION

Very good overall condition. The painting is mounted on a later folio border partially visible in catalog illustration. The orange is slightly deeper in reality. This painting has been viewed under a black light. The patches of brown on the lower ground on right and left of the figure fluoresce as purple under black light. This lot is exhibited in a temporary frame.
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A Mughal courtier his palms pressed together in worship, looks upward into a brilliant golden light, seemingly receiving a divine revelation, his scarf gently lifting from its radiance.  Dressed in an Akbar-period vermilion jama tied at waist, with a long white embroidered sash displaying complex folds in front.  Standing against a vigorously-painted expressive green landscape with its suggestions of foliage receding into a cloudy yellow sky, darkened to turbulent lapis-blue.  A burst of gold light at the upper right corner.

The identity of the courtier is not presently known.  He does bear a resemblance to a youthful Emperor Akbar however his aquiline nose is not really similar to the Emperor's.  Moreover its somewhat idealized depiction suggests that our courtier is most likely archetypal - not a specific individual.  The subject of the painting itself is unusual and it may reflect Akbar's interest in a new mystical religion created by him in 1582 - the Din-i Ilahi (the Religion of God) - which worshipped the Sun and fire as divine light.

The nobleman wears a gold kulhadar turban with a prominent feathered aigrette whose tips are notably flecked with deftly calligraphic, purplish brushstrokes, as are the edges of his waist-sash with its minute black fringes.  A relatable "Portrait of a Muslim Courtier" attributable to Basawan from the Stuart Cary Welch Collection was sold at Sotheby's London, April 6, 2011, Lot 93. Welch had previously noted that its cloak fringes are a stylistic marker of Basawan. This idiosyncratic feature appears in other works attributable to the artist including another courtier portrait in the Arthur M. Sackler Museum (2009.202.55) attributed there also to Basawan with a brilliant vermilion-colored jama likewise depicted in each painting.  However in the present work there is a sense of flatness in the face and clothing which is not consistent with Basawan's own tendency to indicate mass through shading, as we see in the Welch courtier particularly in the folds of the shawl.  On balance we can say that our painting is certainly from an extremely assured, expressive hand and possibly from the circle of Basawan.  Perhaps even his own hand.  It is a painting of great clarity and refinement.

Refer to Harvard Art Museums / Arthur M. Sackler Museum (accession no. 2009.202.55), attributed to Basawan an described as: "A Courtier awaiting Akbar's Command", ca 1575.