THE PAINTING MUGHAL INDIA, LATE 17TH CENTURY, THE CALLIGRAPHY SIGNED ALMAS, IRAN, SECOND HALF 16TH CENTURY

Princes seeking the counsel of holy men was a popular subject for Mughal artists in the 17th century and such scenes were quite commonly included in Mughal albums. As pointed out by A. Welch and S.C. Welch, the iconography of a prince visiting a holy man is based on earlier Iranian prototypes of rulers visiting dervishes. The contrast of these two aspects of society symbolised the ‘juxtaposition and distant affinity of temporal and spiritual authority’. (A. Welch, S.C. Welch, Arts of the Islamic Book – The Collection of Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan, London, 1982, pg.160). This theme was of great interest to Akbar and is first thought to have appeared in Mughal painting during Akbar’s reign who was widely admired for his interest and tolerance of other faiths. After Akbar, Jahangir continued his father’s policy of religious tolerance. Shah Jahan’s elder son, Prince Dara Shikoh had a keen interest in Sufism and mystical aspects of religion and is known to have often frequented gatherings of holy men. He commissioned Mughal artists to paint portraits of ascetics and dervishes and is often himself the subject, seated amidst Sufis. There is a 17th century example, painted by the Mughal artist, depicting Dara Shikoh visiting the Sufi saints Mian Mir of Lahore and Mullah Shah of Badakshan, now in the Victoria and Albert Museum (no. IM.250-1921).

There are two other undated works known to be by the hand of Almas. The first is a calligraphic folio, thought to be from the second half of the sixteenth century in a private collection in Tehran (Mehdi Bayani, ahval va asar-e khosh-nevisna, vol.IV, Tehran, 1358 sh., p.39). The second work is in the collections of the Salar Jung Museum and Library in Hyderabad (M.Ashraf, A Catalogue of the Arabic Manuscripts in the Salar Jung Museum & Library, II, The Glorious Qur'an, Its parts and Fragments, Hyderabad, 1962, p.34, no.211).