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Lot Essay
The depiction on the verso side of this album folio is an illustration most probably from a copy of the Harivamsa which recounts the life of Krishna. The very distinctive crown worn by the figure on the balcony with its three pointed pinnacles each with two rounded bosses is very similar to crowns depicted in the Harivamsa in the Victoria and Albert Museum dated to circa 1590, (Inv. IS4-1970; Susan Stronge, Painting for the Mughal Emperor: The Art of the Book 1560-1660, London, 2002, pl.63, p. 97).
This portrait of Shah Jahan follows an almost identical depiction inscribed to Hashim dated to the mid-17th Century and in the collection of the Freer Gallery of Art, (inv. 1939.49; Milo Cleveland Beach, The Imperial Image: Paintings for the Mughal Court, Washington, 1981, Cat. no.18d.). It has been suggested that this might be a later 18th Century Awadh work by Mir Chand imitating exceptionally well the refined work of Hashim. However, it has also been suggested that the quality of the draughtsmanship of our drawing, particularly noticeable in the delicate facial features of Shah Jahan and in the expressive surprisingly strong faces of the putti, are an indication that this is by Hashim, a preparatory or companion work for the Freer Gallery painting. A further depiction of Shah Jahan standing on a globe from the Minto Album is almost identical to both our work and the Freer Gallery painting, (Linda York Leach, Mughal and Other Indian Paintings from the Chester Beatty Library, Vol. I, London, 1995, Cat. no. 3.26, p. 401). The depiction of Shah Jahan by Bichitr has a similar opaque jama to our own work which contrasts with the transparent jama by Hashim.
This portrait of Shah Jahan follows an almost identical depiction inscribed to Hashim dated to the mid-17th Century and in the collection of the Freer Gallery of Art, (inv. 1939.49; Milo Cleveland Beach, The Imperial Image: Paintings for the Mughal Court, Washington, 1981, Cat. no.18d.). It has been suggested that this might be a later 18th Century Awadh work by Mir Chand imitating exceptionally well the refined work of Hashim. However, it has also been suggested that the quality of the draughtsmanship of our drawing, particularly noticeable in the delicate facial features of Shah Jahan and in the expressive surprisingly strong faces of the putti, are an indication that this is by Hashim, a preparatory or companion work for the Freer Gallery painting. A further depiction of Shah Jahan standing on a globe from the Minto Album is almost identical to both our work and the Freer Gallery painting, (Linda York Leach, Mughal and Other Indian Paintings from the Chester Beatty Library, Vol. I, London, 1995, Cat. no. 3.26, p. 401). The depiction of Shah Jahan by Bichitr has a similar opaque jama to our own work which contrasts with the transparent jama by Hashim.