- 256
North India and Persia
Estimate
6,000 - 8,000 GBP
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Description
- Durga and Brahma Battling Karindrasura, the Reverse with Two Couplets in Nasta’liq Copied by Mir Amin
- leaf: 18.3 by 26.7cm., 7 3/16 by 10 1/2 in. painting: 15.4 by 23.5cm., 6 1/16 by 9 1/4 in.
opaque pigments heightened with gold on paper, framed
Provenance
Christie's, London, 10 July 1975, lot 35
Christie's, London, Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds Including a Private Collection donated to benefit The University of Oxford, Part IV, 10 October 2013, lot 175
Condition
In generally good condition, minor creases, minor stains and rubbing and minor holes, 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."
"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."
Catalogue Note
This finely drawn illustration depicts Durga with various vehicles and the multi-headed Brahma surrounding the elephant demon Karindrasura. The drawing is executed in the nim-qalam style popular in the Mughal court at the beginning of the seventeenth century. It is difficult to determine if works from this period were commissioned by Emperor Akbar or Prince Salim as they both favoured the nim-qalam technique and had a shared fascination with other religions. At this time Prince Salim, the future Emperor Jahangir, was at Allahabad where he brought together a small group of artists led by the Persian artist Aqa Reza. Allahabad Fort was built by Akbar on an area overlooking the confluence of the rivers Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati, that was sacred to Hindus. The spiritual character of the city was sometimes reflected in the themes of the manuscripts produced by Salim's artists, including the Raj Kunvar c.1603-1604.
The calligraphy on the reverse is by Mir Muhammad Amin who was the grandson of Mir 'Imad al Hassani. Two of his album pages are in the Gulistan Library (see Mehdi Bayani 1346sh., pp.647-648)