IRAN OR POSSIBLY INDIA, 18TH OR EARLY 19TH CENTURY

In the later sixteenth and early seventeenth century there was a strong flow of artists and craftsmen from Iran to the Mughal Court, leading to a well documented strong Persian influence in the arts of early Mughal India. By the end of the seventeenth century however, much of the influence was travelling in the other direction, a process only speeded up by the plunder of Delhi by Nadir Shah in 1748. Two superb quality Mughal pashmina carpets which are now in the Shrine of the Imam Reza at Mashhad were probably donated at this time.

The present textile has much in common with a magnificent Mughal velvet which now only survives in fragments. The largest section was exhibited in Munich in 1910 and does not appear to have been published since (Meisterwerke Muhammedanischer Kunst, exhibition catalogue, Munich, 1910, pl.205). A border fragment from the same textile sold in these Rooms 8 April 2008, lot 300 gives details of further fragments in the footnote. Both share an overall lattice centred on bold flowerheads. Most importantly, there is very little use of outlining between the colours, a feature that is rare to find. The colours in the present velvet however are not quite as vivid and it is probable that this panel was made in eighteenth century Iran, heavily influenced by a Mughal original.