Page 106 - Indian and Himalayan Art, March 15, 2017 Sotheby's NYC
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PROPERTY FROM THE LANIER COLLECTION A painted ink drawing in nim qalam of two
bu aloes in combat attributed to the Akbar
TWO BULLS LOCKED IN COMBAT Period Mughal artist Miskin (active 1570-1604)
India, Imperial Mughal, and presently in the collection of the Metropolitan
mid-17th Century Museum of Art New York (accession. no. 1983-
258) depicts a similar combat - depicted there
Opaque watercolor heightened with gold on paper in the presence of excited handlers. The Mughal
image: 4¼ by 7¾ in. (10 by 17.8 cm) preference for naturalism, already so visible in the
folio: 7 by 10¾ in. (17.7 by 25.4 cm) works of Miskin and other painters from the royal
atelier, depict events at court and entertainments
PROVENANCE such as animal combats, which were frequently
held by the Emperor.
Husain Gallery London
Acquired 1988 In our present painting the context for the battle
is left open to our imagination - was this a staged
A dramatic moment is captured powerfully as combat for the Emperor’s entertainment like the
two large bulls intensely clash and lock horns - Miskin bu alo ght or a clash that was observed
their determination to be victorious is palpable in in the wild - a battle for supremacy in the herd?
this highly modeled, naturalistic study of animal The painting set within dark blue outer borders,
combat. The rear anks of the two combatants with raised gold and light blue scrolling foliate
raised to provided maximum momentum for their designs.
charging heads - ringed horns emerging from
their curling hair. On a green verdigris ground, For related Mughal depictions of a water bu alo,
the combat silhouetted in browns against a bu see Sotheby’s New York, March 16 1988, lot 346,
background and so realistically rendered that we and Sotheby’s London, June 20 1983, lot 143. For
can feel the crushing weight of the animals and another related work, see S. C. Welch, India Art
the energy expended - like two gladiators primed and Culture: 1300-1900, New York, 1985, p. 167,
for combat - we can almost hear them thunder cat. 103.
and snort.
$ 8,000-12,000
Gold gray black and white ruled lines.
104 SOTHEBY’S
