BY 'IMAD AL-HASSANI, SAFAVID PERSIA, LATE 16TH CENTURY

This has identical borders to leaves from albums made for and commissioned by Antoine Polier in the second half of the 18th century (now known as the Hamilton Albums in the collection of the State Museum of Berlin). Polier worked in Lucknow from 1766 until 1789, when he returned to France, and it was during this time that he commissioned much of his collection. The albums now in Berlin were acquired by William Beckford of Fonthill Abbey before going to Hamilton and then to Berlin. It is possible that they were dispersed from Polier's collection in India before the albums came to England. In an 18th century portrait by Zoffany, Polier is shown looking at paintings with several connoiseur friends while an album lies open on the table (Archer, M.:India and British Portraiture 1770-1825, London, 1979, Pl.VII).
See also: Hickman & Enderlein: Indische Albumblutte, Leipzig, 1979, eg. no.s 24, 29 and Weber, R.: Portruts und historische Darstellungen, Berlin, 1882, no.s 72-92).

See also note to lot 351.
Other examples of his calligraphy in this sale are lots 347, 349 and 351.