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Lot Essay
Safshikan is a title meaning 'rank-breaking', ie. a military officer who smashes the enemy ranks and two officers in Aurangzeb's reign were granted this title.
The first, Muhammad Tahir, was appointed Supt. of the Artillery in the Deccan at the end of Shah Jehan's reign and was given the title of Safshikan at the time when Aurangzeb went north to intervene in the succession dispute when Shah Jehan became ill. He held various posts and was appointed Supt. of the Imperial Artillery in the 17th regnal year and died in the 18th (1674 AD).
Mir Sadr-ud-din came to India in the 17th year of Aurangzeb's reign (1673 AD) and in the 23rd was granted the title Shuja'at Khan. He was later made Supt. of Artillery and became Safshikan Khan in the 25th year (1681-2 AD). He is last mentioned in the 39th regnal year (1695-6 AD).
It is not clear which of the two the present portrait represents.
See note to preceding lot for information on the artist, Anup Chattar.
The first, Muhammad Tahir, was appointed Supt. of the Artillery in the Deccan at the end of Shah Jehan's reign and was given the title of Safshikan at the time when Aurangzeb went north to intervene in the succession dispute when Shah Jehan became ill. He held various posts and was appointed Supt. of the Imperial Artillery in the 17th regnal year and died in the 18th (1674 AD).
Mir Sadr-ud-din came to India in the 17th year of Aurangzeb's reign (1673 AD) and in the 23rd was granted the title Shuja'at Khan. He was later made Supt. of Artillery and became Safshikan Khan in the 25th year (1681-2 AD). He is last mentioned in the 39th regnal year (1695-6 AD).
It is not clear which of the two the present portrait represents.
See note to preceding lot for information on the artist, Anup Chattar.