SUB-IMPERIAL MUGHAL, LATE 17TH/EARLY 18TH CENTURY

Details

PORTRAIT OF SHAYKH 'ALIM AL-DIN (WAZIR KHAN)
SUB-IMPERIAL MUGHAL, LATE 17TH/EARLY 18TH CENTURY
Opaque pigments heightened with gold on paper, the nobleman facing right, holding a khanda, on gold-speckled margins, identification in black nasta'liq and devanagari below, verso with calligraphy by Fathullah, geometric patterned borders on margins with gold floral decoration
Painting 8 ¾ x 4 ½in. (22.3 x 11.3cm.); folio 12 x 8 3/8 in. (30.4 x 21.4cm.)

Literature

C.P. Haase, J. Kröger, U. Lienert, Oriental Splendour, Hamburg, 1993, fig.190b, p.276f
E. Koch, The Complete Taj Mahal, London, 2006, fig.47, p.45
L. Habighorst, Miniaturgeschichten, Dresden, 2017, p.138f

Exhibited

Hamburg, Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe, Orientalische Pracht, 1993
Dresden, Kupferstichkabinett, Miniaturgeschichten, 2017

Brought to you by

Behnaz Atighi Moghaddam

BAtighiMoghaddam@christies.com 44 20 7389 2509

Lot Essay

‘Alim al-din (d. 1640) was an esteemed noble and physician during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. He entered Shah Jahan’s services when he was still Prince Khurram and was appointed the administrator of the prince’s household. He had previously studied medicine under Hakim Dawi and soon received the title of Hakim (physician) himself. In 1627-28, he was awarded the title of Wazir by Shah Jahan. He went on to become administrator of Agra, Punjab and Lahore. He is renowned for his patronage of architecture in Lahore where his comparatively long governorship (circa 1634-41) enabled him to commission the building of several monuments including a hammam and a famous mosque.

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