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Lot Essay
Gift-giving was a significant etiquette of Islamic society and was widely practiced during the Mughal period. The emperors often commissioned works of art as gifts and presented them to other political contemporaries to invite alliance. In the imperial court gifts were presented to the Emperor as a means to curry favor. Even those from the lower echelons were required to present gifts to the emperor, however simple, as an expression of loyalty, as depicted in this example. Also seen is the chinar tree, a bequest of the Mughal emperors and believed to have been imported from Persia. They feature prominently from the art of the Mughal period. The motif is adapted not only in art and architecture but also seen in the opulent jewels, metalwork and rich embroideries, their reminiscence carried to the present times. The various colors of this autumn tree made for a symbolic and pleasing element.