Page 98 - 2020 September 23 Himalyan and Southeast Asian Works of Art Bonhams

The much awaited biography
658
A LADY READING A LETTER BY CANDLELIGHT
BASHOLI, CIRCA 1795
Black and red ink and white gouache on paper.
Folio: 5 1/8 x 6 3/8 in. (13 x 16.2 cm) by Dr. Pratapaditya Pal

$2,000 - 4,000

This intimate drawing depicts a young noblewoman, likely
Damayanti, reading a letter by candlelight in her private Quest for Coomaraswamy: A Life in the Arts is an intimate biography of an
quarters. Ladies in waiting attend to her, two playing
musical instruments: a lute and a tabla. She smiles at the icon of Indian art by Dr. Pratapaditya Pal, successor of Coomaraswamy as
page’s content—no doubt a report of, or a letter from, her
lover, Nala. Compare with an almost identical drawing from the keeper of the Indian collection in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Since
a Nala Damayanti series in the National Museum of Asian
Art, Washington D.C. (Eastman, The Nala-Damayanti 1967, Dr. Pal has played a dominant role as the leading authority on the arts
drawings, Boston, 1959, pl.6).
of the Indian subcontinent and the Himalayas. An author of over sixty
Provenance
Collection of Milo Cleveland Beach acclaimed books, Dr. Pal is a prolific scholar and an engaging public speaker.

659
A FIRMAN
OTTOMAN TURKEY, PROBABLY CONSTANTINOPLE,
DATED 12 RABI’ AL-AWWAL 1327/3RD APRIL 1909
Ottoman Turkish manuscript on paper, 9 lines written
in divani script in black and red ink, tughra of Sultan of
Abdülhamid II (reg. 1876-1909) and other elements printed
in gold.
32 1/4 x 22 1/2 in. (82 x 57.5 cm)
$1,000 - 1,500

The firman relates to stipends to be given to the
descendants of Saliha Sultan and Gazi Hüseyin
Pasha, Commander (Serdar) of Crete, from the pious
endowments (waqf) made by them. Saliha Sultan was the
daughter of Sultan Ahmed III (reg.1703-30). She married
the son of Deli Gazi Hüseyin Pasha (d.1659), Commander
of Crete, Admiral of the Ottoman navy and Grand vizier.

Provenance
Private Californian Collection since 1980s/90s

Please email orders to: ashis.bayeux@gmail.com

Include quantity of copies, shipping address and phone number.

$34.95 + $6.50 Shipping for Single copy US orders.

Paypal or Mail check to: Bayeux Arts, 2403, 510-6 Ave. S.E., Calgary, Canada, T2G1L7
96 | BONHAMS