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Lot Essay
This portrait followed the tradition established in the neighbouring court of Bijapur in the 17th century. A number of medallion portraits of Muhammad 'Adil Shah (r. 1627-56) by the artist Muhammad Khan, dated circa 1640-50 shows how 17th century painting influenced these later portraits (Toby Falk and Mildred Archer, Indian Miniatures in the India Office Library,London, cat. 406 and 407, p.502).
Abu al-Hasan Qutb Shah was the last sultan to rule over Golconda between 1672 and 1687 before the Mughal conquest. His fame survived him and reached most parts of India where he became a popular subject of portrait painting in the late 18th and 19th century. See for instance a Sikh portrait of him standing, dated 1840, and a Deccani portrait, possibly from Massulipatnam, dated 1780, both in the Victoria & Albert Museum, London (IS.135-1953 and IS.199-1953).
Abu al-Hasan Qutb Shah was the last sultan to rule over Golconda between 1672 and 1687 before the Mughal conquest. His fame survived him and reached most parts of India where he became a popular subject of portrait painting in the late 18th and 19th century. See for instance a Sikh portrait of him standing, dated 1840, and a Deccani portrait, possibly from Massulipatnam, dated 1780, both in the Victoria & Albert Museum, London (IS.135-1953 and IS.199-1953).