Page 42 - 2019 September 11th Christie's New York Chiense Art Himalayan bronzes and art

THE PROPERTY OF DOROTHY AND RICHARD SHERWOOD

315
AN ILLUSTRATION FROM A HAMIR HATH SERIES
STYLE OF SAJNU, NORTH INDIA, MANDI, CIRCA 1810-1820
Image 12¡ x 17Ω in. (31.4 x 44.5 cm.); folio 19√ x 14æ in. (50.5 x 37.4 cm.)

$40,000-60,000

The figure seated on the throne in purple is Alauddin Khilji, the Sultan of Delhi
who reigned in North India from 1296 to 1316. The figure standing before him
is identified above in white Devanagari script as Mahima, a Mongol soldier,
who was an ally of Hamir, the king of Ranthambore in Rajasthan (although
Mahima appears more North Indian here than Mongol).

Mahima has delivered a message from Hamir to Alauddin which seems to be
displeasing the latter as he has his finger raised. Several Mongol leaders were
generals in Hamir’s army and fought Alauddin Khilji’s forces before finally
being defeated when Khilji besieged Ranthambore fort in 1301 and killed
Hamir after a long battle.
For comparable illustrations and further discussion on the series, see W.G.
Archer, Indian Paintings from the Punjab Hills, 1973, Vol. I, pp. 360-362, Vol.
II, p. 273, fig. 42(i),(ii). For another folio from this series which sold at auction,
see Christie’s London, 23 September 2004, lot 167 and 25 May 2017, lot 73.
Khilji besieged Ranthambore fort in 1301 and killed Hamir after a long battle.

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