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Lot Essay
The present painting depicts a scene popular among Mughal artists, that of a tired, forlorn, or perhaps even intoxicated prince or princess being escorted to bed. Trailed by a trio of musicians, the princess's arms are slung over the shoulders of her attendants, head hung low, as she is led to a bed prepared outside of her pavilion. The rich gold hanging brocades, glass inlays on the white marble walls, and gilt trims on the maiden's sheer diaphanous gowns all glimmer under the soft illumination of the candle light. The striking red shamania is held taut by a series of wires pulled out of view. The master use of highlight and shadow and geometric perspective provides a thoughtfully balanced image and showcases the sophistication of Mughal evening scenes.
The present painting was originally attributed to 1690 when it was published by Falk and Digby in 1979, though when writing on the work in 2011, J.P. Losty asserts that this work is more comparable to the Shah Jahan-period of paintings from 1650-60. Losty compares the quality of the work to to a Shah Jahan period work at the Chester Beatty Library attributed to the artist Payag depicting a prince and princess at camp (L. Leach, Mughal and Other Indian Paintings from the Chester Beatty Library, vol. 1, London, 1995, p. 476 no. 3.88); in contrast, a painting from the Chester Beatty depicting a prince and princess dated to 1680 (L. Leach, p. 501, no. 4.16) can be considered far harsher in line.
The present scene was a favored theme in Mughal painting, with some variation. A painting in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum (acc. no. I.M.117-1911) includes the princess's lover awaiting her in bed. Two paintings joined together to form a composition in the St. Petersburg muraqqa (see F. v. Habsburg, The St. Petersburg Muraqqa, Lugano, 1996, pl. 240) depict a prince being led to bed, one with a very close composition to the present painting. Other paintings depicting lone princesses are at the Brooklyn Museum (acc. no. 86.227.55) and a later copy of this painting from the collection of Sir Elijah Impey, which sold at Sotheby's London 27 October 2021, lot 143. A similar composition dated to eighteenth-century Murshidabad is offered as the following lot. According to J.P. Losty, the present painting appears to be the earliest example of the genre.
The painting is illuminated on the reverse with four lines of Persian verse in nasta'liq.
The present painting was originally attributed to 1690 when it was published by Falk and Digby in 1979, though when writing on the work in 2011, J.P. Losty asserts that this work is more comparable to the Shah Jahan-period of paintings from 1650-60. Losty compares the quality of the work to to a Shah Jahan period work at the Chester Beatty Library attributed to the artist Payag depicting a prince and princess at camp (L. Leach, Mughal and Other Indian Paintings from the Chester Beatty Library, vol. 1, London, 1995, p. 476 no. 3.88); in contrast, a painting from the Chester Beatty depicting a prince and princess dated to 1680 (L. Leach, p. 501, no. 4.16) can be considered far harsher in line.
The present scene was a favored theme in Mughal painting, with some variation. A painting in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum (acc. no. I.M.117-1911) includes the princess's lover awaiting her in bed. Two paintings joined together to form a composition in the St. Petersburg muraqqa (see F. v. Habsburg, The St. Petersburg Muraqqa, Lugano, 1996, pl. 240) depict a prince being led to bed, one with a very close composition to the present painting. Other paintings depicting lone princesses are at the Brooklyn Museum (acc. no. 86.227.55) and a later copy of this painting from the collection of Sir Elijah Impey, which sold at Sotheby's London 27 October 2021, lot 143. A similar composition dated to eighteenth-century Murshidabad is offered as the following lot. According to J.P. Losty, the present painting appears to be the earliest example of the genre.
The painting is illuminated on the reverse with four lines of Persian verse in nasta'liq.
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