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Lot Essay
The courtier is dressed in Akbari fashion with a diaphanous jama over white trousers, a flat turban, and two overlapping patkas (sashes) tied around his waist. A katar (dagger) with two dangling toggles is tucked into his patka. His hands are crossed at his waist in the normal Mughal court posture.
In the A’in-i Akbari written in 1596-98, Abu’l Fazl mentions that towards the end of Akbar’s life, ‘(Akbar) sat for his likeness and also ordered to have the likenesses taken of all the grandees of the realm. An immense album was thus formed: those that have passed away have received a new life, and those who are still alive have immortality promised to them.’ (Abu’l Fazl 1927-39, vol.I, p.115, translated in Losty and Roy, 2012, p.75) Three portraits from the album dated circa 1595-1600 are illustrated by Losty and Roy, 2012, figs.37-39, pp.76-78. All three have the subjects depicted on green ground, with later descriptions in black nasta’liq (possibly in Jahangir’s hand) to the left or right of the figures. It has been suggested by Robert Skelton, Former Keeper of the Indian Department at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, that the faint identification inscription on our portrait may also possibly be by the hand of the Mughal Emperor Jahangir. Our portrait finds close comparison with the portrait of Zain Khan Koka (fig.37, p.76), who is depicted facing left and standing in profile. Although the feet of our courtier are in profile, his body and face are slightly incongruously in three-quarter profile, usually seen on figures in manuscript illustrations of this period. The sides of our image have been extended, probably when the portrait was placed in an album, with the addition of the floral decoration along three sides. Such extensions were common, as also seen on the portrait of Zain Koka Khan with an extension below depicting a pair of pigeons and a dovecote.
The partially rubbed inscription above the figure suggests that the courtier was known as Aflatun, the Arabic name for the philosopher Plato. Perhaps the courtier was a philosopher at the Mughal court. An official named Aflatun Beg, in the service of Shah Jahan in 1636 is mentioned in Ali, 1986, p.131, S1117.
In the A’in-i Akbari written in 1596-98, Abu’l Fazl mentions that towards the end of Akbar’s life, ‘(Akbar) sat for his likeness and also ordered to have the likenesses taken of all the grandees of the realm. An immense album was thus formed: those that have passed away have received a new life, and those who are still alive have immortality promised to them.’ (Abu’l Fazl 1927-39, vol.I, p.115, translated in Losty and Roy, 2012, p.75) Three portraits from the album dated circa 1595-1600 are illustrated by Losty and Roy, 2012, figs.37-39, pp.76-78. All three have the subjects depicted on green ground, with later descriptions in black nasta’liq (possibly in Jahangir’s hand) to the left or right of the figures. It has been suggested by Robert Skelton, Former Keeper of the Indian Department at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, that the faint identification inscription on our portrait may also possibly be by the hand of the Mughal Emperor Jahangir. Our portrait finds close comparison with the portrait of Zain Khan Koka (fig.37, p.76), who is depicted facing left and standing in profile. Although the feet of our courtier are in profile, his body and face are slightly incongruously in three-quarter profile, usually seen on figures in manuscript illustrations of this period. The sides of our image have been extended, probably when the portrait was placed in an album, with the addition of the floral decoration along three sides. Such extensions were common, as also seen on the portrait of Zain Koka Khan with an extension below depicting a pair of pigeons and a dovecote.
The partially rubbed inscription above the figure suggests that the courtier was known as Aflatun, the Arabic name for the philosopher Plato. Perhaps the courtier was a philosopher at the Mughal court. An official named Aflatun Beg, in the service of Shah Jahan in 1636 is mentioned in Ali, 1986, p.131, S1117.