Lot 13
13
A mullah

Details
A mullah
India, 17th century

ink with touches of watercolour on paper, in long flowing robes and turban, the white-bearded mullah stands holding a Qur'an, attributed bottom left to Farrukh Beg, (small patches of rubbing, negligible worming), a panel of nasta'liq calligraphy in a plain cloud on an illuminated panel above and below within a blue and gold meandering vine border, outer border of panels of similar and larger script with illuminated corners, outer gold margins, (slight rubbing), mounted on leaf painted with flowering plants and small cloudbands outlined in gold (slight wear to edges)
minature 5 x 2¼in. (12.5 x 5.9cm.)
leaf 15¼ x 10in. (38.6 x 25.1cm.)

Lot Essay

The borders of this and the following lot are from the late Shah Jehan or Alamgir period, and have probably been re-used in this album. They were very possibly painted by the 'Master of the Borders' who illuminated many of the pages from Shah Jahan's albums. The richness and vitality of the drawing coupled with the gold outlines characterise his style.

Falk, T. (Ed.): Treasures of Islam, exhibition catalogue, Geneva 1985, p.170, no.150
Soudavar, A.: Art of the Persian Courts, New York 1992, pp.120, 339

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