FARIDUN ENTHRONED

THE MINIATURE SUB-IMPERIAL MUGHAL, 18TH CENTURY, THE CALLIGRAPHY SIGNED GOHAR QALAM, MUGHAL INDIA, DATED AH 1098/1698-99 AD

Details

FARIDUN ENTHRONED
THE MINIATURE SUB-IMPERIAL MUGHAL, 18TH CENTURY, THE CALLIGRAPHY SIGNED GOHAR QALAM, MUGHAL INDIA, DATED AH 1098/1698-99 AD
A scene from the Shahnama of Firdawsi, gouache heightened with gold on paper, Faridun sits on a lavish gold throne beneath a canopy recieving petitioners, to his side servants, one heavily armed and the other whisking away flies, in the foreground a figure and horse approach an open gate as a single figure watches on, above and below lines of nasta'liq written on the diagonal in clouds reserved against gold ground, laid down between dark blue borders with gold scrolls on wide pink margins with gold meandering floral vine, the reverse with a nasta'liq quatrain in clouds reserved against gold ground, signed Gohar Qalam below and dated 1098, above and below a further two lines of nasta'liq, similarly mounted but on blue margins
Miniature 8½ x 6¼in. (21.4 x 15.6cm.); folio 17 x 9 7/8in. (43.1 x 25cm.)

Provenance

Anon sale, Sotheby's London, 28 April 2004, lot 53

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Andrew Butler-Wheelhouse

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Lot Essay

The composition of this scene is inspired by earlier Mughal imperial narratives. The figure here of Faridun is depicted like a Mughal Emperor. The feathered peaked hat worn here by Faridun is strongly reminiscent of that of the Mughal Emperor Humayun. See for example a depiction of Humayun from a miniature sold in these Rooms, 26 April 1991, lot 54, which depicts the Emperor receiving dignitaries seated cross-legged in a very similar setting.
For a similar enthronement scene from the Divan-e Anvari which is of comparable composition to our own minaiture see S. C. Welch, The Art of Mughal India, New York, 1976, pl. 4B, p. 26

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