DARA SHIKOH

MUGHAL INDIA, CIRCA 1660-70

Details

DARA SHIKOH
MUGHAL INDIA, CIRCA 1660-70
Tinted drawing heightened with gold on paper, a bust portrait of the nimbate prince, who is depicted wearing gold embroidered robes and turban, a string of pearls on each, in his left hand he holds an emerald, laid down between polychrome rules and wide blue border decorated with gold irises on a wide pink margin with polychrome outer rule, identification inscription in the upper margin, the reverse with 8ll. of elegant black nasta'liq on green ground containing verses from Jami's Yusuf wa Zulaykha, laid down between pink borders and polychrome rules on wide buff borders
Painting 7 1/8 x 4 5/8in. (18.1 x 11.8cm.); folio 14¾ x 9 7/8in. (37.5 x 25.2cm.)

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Lot Essay

A very closely related profile portrait of Dara Shikoh adorned with almost identical strings of pearls and large gemstones in the collection of the India Office Library is dated to circa 1660-70, (Toby Falk and Mildred Archer, Indian Miniatures in the India Office Library, London, 1981, no. 106). The prominent gemstones appear almost to be the focus of this portrait as the figure of Dara is depicted almost cradling one of his bazubands which he has removed from his left arm.

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