PROBABLY DECCAN, CENTRAL INDIA, EARLY 18TH CENTURY

This painting of Chand Bibi (d.1599) is a skilful example of a subject that achieved fame in Deccani painting. The wife of Ali Adil Shah I of Bijapur, she was a legendary queen of Ahmadnagar in the Deccan, known to have courageously protected her fortress against the Mughal army in the sixteenth century (Mark Zebrowski, Deccani Painting, London, 1983, p. 233). Although she is often depicted riding a white horse whose lower half or feet are coloured in red, to symbolize its wading through blood (or bravery in battle), here the artist has chosen to paint the entire horse a chestnut colour which is not as common. The figure is executed on a plain background of blue on a green ground which was a feature of 18th century Deccani paintings.

Other paintings of Chand Bibi hawking on a horse back are in the Metropolitan Museum of Art (1999.403), the Victoria and Albert Museum (AL.8800) and the British Museum (1951,0407,0.24). Examples sold at auction include Sotheby’s, London, 6 April 2011, lot 248.