Page 77 - Bonhams Indian and Himalayan Art September 2013

105 (recto) 105 (verso)

105 The Imperial dictionary, Farhang-i Jahangiri, was written by Jamal al-Din
A double-sided folio from a farhang-i jahangiri Inju and is usually dated to 1608-9. However, the first time that a copy is
Mughal, early 17th century mentioned as being presented to Jahangir is in 1623. According to Leach,
Ink and gold on paper; each side with 35 lines of text written in neat “Jamal al-Din was a Sayyid from Shiraz who first served in the Deccan on
nasta’liq script in black and red ink, the borders containing male figures arrival in India. He then traveled to Akbar’s court and in 1597 the emperor
in attitudes of discourse with folios in hand or set before them among became the patron of Inju’s dictionary.” She adds that in 1623, on the
broad foliate designs. anniversary of Jahangir’s accession, the old scholar made the formal
Folio: 13 1/2 x 8 3/4 in. (34.2 x 22.2 cm) presentation recorded in the emperor’s memoirs. Numerous copies were
$20,000 - 30,000 made for over a century and were owned by such people as Tipu Sultan.

There are fifteen leaves from the dictionary in the Chester Beatty Library
and were probably acquired from the French dealer Demotte. In his
1929 exhibition catalog the dealer included some paintings which were
mounted on dictionary folios, see Leach, Mughal and other Indian
Paintings from the Chester Beatty Library, vol. I, London, 1995, pp. 321-4.
For other comparative examples, see Binney III, The Mughal and Deccani
Schools, Portland, 1973, nos. 20 & 46.

Provenance:
Private Northern Californian Collection
Acquired from William Wolff, New York, 1970s

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