拍品專文
In 1786, Humphry spent about seven months painting the Nawab, his family and ministers at the Court of Oudh in Lucknow. He submitted an account of 47,000 rupees for the portraits which was approved by the Resident Colonel Harper, and the Nawab Vizier was so pleased that he offered an extra 3,000 rupees to make the sum a total of 50,000 rupees. Humphry was paid 5,000 rupees and given a bond for the remainder, made payable at the end of the month, but the debt was never fully recovered. After copious correspondence, Humphry only ever managed to collect a few hundred pounds.
Archer (supra) records 'that the Nawab's little son, the "Saib Zada", had sat to Humphry on 28 May. [...] The artist was greatly impressed by the child's superb manners. Although only five years old "he received me" he wrote, "with all the ceremony of the Shah Zada". The small child was already learning to write both Arabic and Persian.'
Archer (supra) records 'that the Nawab's little son, the "Saib Zada", had sat to Humphry on 28 May. [...] The artist was greatly impressed by the child's superb manners. Although only five years old "he received me" he wrote, "with all the ceremony of the Shah Zada". The small child was already learning to write both Arabic and Persian.'