瑪麗與切尼·考爾斯珍藏印度書畫傑作

Christie’s London is honoured to offer The Collection of Mary and Cheney Cowles on 28 April 2026. Assembled with discernment over the course of five decades, the collection stands as a testament to the passionate and scholarly eyes of Mary and Cheney Cowles.

The majority of the works are Mughal paintings, dating from the 16th to the mid‑19th century, including illustrations to the ‘First’ and ‘Third’ Akbarnamas and three important folios from the ‘Brabourne–Ardeshir’ Album. The sale also features Deccani and Company School paintings, among them a notable folio from the Fraser Album.

Mary and Cheney’s keen interest in Islamic calligraphy forms a core part of the collection. The auction includes a selection of Qur’an folios from across Islamic history, alongside calligraphic exercises by renowned masters such as Husayn Zarin Qalam and Mir ‘Ali al‑Katib.

Seattle‑based collectors Mary and Cheney Cowles assembled one of the most distinguished private collections of East Asian painting and calligraphy in the Western world. Best known for the depth of their holdings in Japanese painting and calligraphy, the collection has been widely recognised for its intellectual coherence and exceptional quality. In a landmark act of philanthropy, Mary and Cheney Cowles pledged more than 550 Japanese works of art to leading American institutions, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, and the Portland Art Museum, ensuring broad public access and long‑term scholarly engagement.

Guided by a commitment to artistic excellence and historical significance, their collecting of Indian painting, Islamic calligraphy, and Japanese and Chinese art has consistently emphasised works that unite literary, painterly, and calligraphic traditions.