PROVINCIAL MUGHAL INDIA, POSSIBLY MURSHIDABAD, CIRCA MID-18TH CENTURY; THE CALLIGRAPHY SIGNED 'ABDULLAH AL-HUSAYNI

Details

AN ALBUM PAGE
PROVINCIAL MUGHAL INDIA, POSSIBLY MURSHIDABAD, CIRCA MID-18TH CENTURY; THE CALLIGRAPHY SIGNED 'ABDULLAH AL-HUSAYNI
Opaque pigments heightened with gold on paper, a richly dressed lady stands beneath a tree feeding a deer, in white foliated scrolling margins on beige ground, in black and red rules, laid down on gold speckled card, the reverse with nasta'liq quatrain signed 'Abdullah al-Husayni, in gold stylised foliated margins reserved on grey ground, in gold rules, laid down on gold speckled card
Painting 6 ¼ x 3 ½in. (15.9 x 9cm.); page 11 x 15in. (28 x 38cm.)

Provenance

Purchased on 23 June 1970

Special notice

These lots have been imported from outside the EU for sale using a Temporary Import regime. Import VAT is payable (at 5%) on the Hammer price. VAT is also payable (at 20%) on the buyer’s Premium on a VAT inclusive basis. When a buyer of such a lot has registered an EU address but wishes to export the lot or complete the import into another EU country, he must advise Christie's immediately after the auction.

Lot Essay

A painting of a visit to a shrine from the Johnson Album, ascribed to Muhammad Faqirullah Khan, is very similar in style and subject as it probably depicts Bhairavi Ragini. It is dated to circa 1740-50 (British Library, J.17,3). Muhammad Faqirullah Khan was a prominent painter at the court of Muhammad Shah before moving away in search of other patrons. After 1750 he worked on an important ragamala series with the painter Fateh Chand.

More from Arts & Textiles of the Islamic & Indian Worlds

View All