Page 118 - ART OF THE ISLAMIC AND INDIAN WORLDS Carpets, Ceramics Objects, Christie's London Oct..27, 2022

PROPERTY FROM THE COLLECTION OF THE LATE ANTHONY POWELL
97
PORTRAIT OF A NOBLE LADY, PROBABLY FARZANA BEGUM
MUGHAL INDIA, SECOND QUARTER OF THE 17TH CENTURY
Opaque pigments heightened with gold on paper, within an inner border
of panels of verses of Persian poetry in black nasta'liq alternating with
gold illumination, a blue outer border with gold floral arabesques, gold and
polychrome rules, the buff paper margin illuminated with paintings of flowers
and butterflies, set within a card mount with pencil inscriptions, the reverse
with a note in pencil
Painting 6¡ x 3¬in. (16.4 x 9cm.); folio 17¡ x 12win. (44 x 32.5 cm.)
£7,000-10,000 US$8,100-11,000
€8,000-11,000
The present portrait compares very closely to a portrait of a Royal Lady
by the painter Balchand in the Royal Collection Trust (RCIN 1005068; E.
Hannam, Eastern Encounters: Four Centuries of Painting and Manuscripts
from the Indian Subcontinent, London, 2018, cover). That painting is thought
to be of Farzana Begum, the sister of Shah Jahan’s wife Mumtaz Mahal,
which may well also be the identity of the lady here. The single word
'Balchand' is written in a cursive hand just below the painting, and in a
note on the reverse of the album page by Robert Skelton he attributes the
portrait also to Balchand. However, some differences in the execution of the
facial features and details of clothing seem inconsistent with Balchand’s
style and would suggest another hand. Nonetheless the quality of the
painting, in particular the excellent handling of the odhani, is clearly the
work of a expert painter.
The late Oscar-winning costume designer Antony Powell studied at the
Central School of Arts in London and worked, in his early career, with
both Cecil Beaton and Oliver Messel. He won three Academy Awards for
his costume designs; and his stage and opera designs included Sunset
Boulevard in 1993 and My Fair Lady in 2010.

99
97 98
VARIOUS PROPERTIES
98 original manuscript include Balchand, Bishandas, Inayat, Govardhan, Payag, A LEAF FROM THE HOSN ALBUM Shuja’ al-Dawla and that the mounting was done in Faizabad circa 1770 (Linda
Dhanraj and Aqa Reza, all members of the royal atelier, while the opening York Leach, Mughal and Other Indian Paintings from the Chester Beatty Library,
AN ILLUMINATED FOLIO FROM A ROYAL COPY OF FIRDAWSI'S †99
SHAHNAMA double page of illumination has been attributed to Mansur (see Sotheby's Dublin, 1995, pp.654-56). Folios were later acquired by Sir Elijah Impey, the
London, 25 April 2012, lot 484). Jahangir’s patronage is further indicated A BEAUTY WORSHIPPING SHIVA
MUGHAL INDIA, CIRCA 1610 first Chief Justice in Bengal from 1774 to 1785. He and his wife were avid
by the close similarities between the border designs of this manuscript THE PAINTING MUGHAL DELHI OR LUCKNOW, INDIA, CIRCA 1760; collectors of Indian painting, and famously commissioned a group of natural
Persian poetry, Kay Kavus writing a letter to the king of Mazandaran and Kavus THE CALLIGRAPHY SIGNED MIR 'ALI, SAFAVID IRAN, 16TH CENTURY
and those of the well-known copy of the Farhang-i Jahangiri prepared for
going to Mazandaran, the folio with 35ll. of black nasta'liq divided into four history illustrations in Calcutta between 1777 and 1783, now referred to as
Jahangir circa 1608. The manuscript appears to have included the text of Recto opaque pigments heightened with gold on paper, set between light and
columns, headings in gold on blue background, set within gold and polychrome the ‘Impey Album’ (for a folio from this album, see lot 108 in the present sale).
rules, red borders with gold floral decoration, additional lines of nasta'liq within both the Shahnama and the Garshaspnama since the majority of pages dark blue borders with gold floral decoration, on gold speckled album leaf with Others were acquired in India in the 1880s by Admiral Fremantle, now in the
gold clouds extending into the borders, blue margins with gold illumination illustrate episodes or include text from the Shahnama and the opening gold identification cartouche on upper margin, verso with 17ll. of black nasta'liq Victoria & Albert Museum (IS-156-1952), the Chester Beatty Library (Leach,
showing birds, animals and plants, numbered in upper margin illuminated pages sold at Sotheby’s London, 25 April 2012, lot 484 were with dense gold and polychrome illumination, within cream border with floral op.cit., pp.654-56), the Bodleian Library (Douce OR.A3) and the Museum of
Text 8¬ x 4¬in. (22 x 11.8cm.); folio 13æ x 9ºin. (35 x 23.5cm.) undoubtedly from the Shahnama, being the opening of the preface to the gold decoration and gold and polychrome rules, later typed sale label below
Painting 6q x 4¿in. (16.5 x 10.5cm.); calligraphy 8 x 5qin. (20.3 x 14cm.); album Canberra.
Baysunghuri edition. However, several others illustrate episodes specific to
£10,000-15,000 US$12,000-17,000 page 19 x 13ºin. (48.5 x 33.5cm.)
€12,000-17,000 the Garshaspnama of Hakim Abu Ali ibn Ahmad Tusi (e.g. 'Nariman lassoes A group of related pages from the ‘Hosn Album’ were in the Pozzi Collection (J.
the Khaqan of Chin', Sotheby's New York, 16 March 2016, lot 858; 'Nariman £12,000-18,000 US$14,000-21,000 Soustiel and M. Beurdeley, Collection Jean Pozzi, Mes Rheims et Laurin, Palais
€14,000-20,000
kills the son of the Khaqan of Chin', Sotheby's London, 28 April 2004, Galleria, Paris, 5 Decembre 1970, no.17-20, 24, 71 and 82). A footnote there
PROVENANCE:
Ex-collection Kalebdjian Brothers, 12 Rue de la Paix, Paris, first half 20th lot 57). The inclusion of both texts in one volume is not unusual. Another suggested that hosn (meaning ‘the Beauty’) was the name given to the young
century early Mughal copy that includes the Shahnama, the Garshaspnama and the PROVENANCE: symbolic female represented in the miniatures. Although the miniatures are
Sir Elijah Impey, first Chief Justice of Bengal (1774-83)
Barzunama is in the British Library, Or. 4906, see N. Titley, Miniatures from from a variety of origins, and depict a range of subjects (including three from a
With Maggs Bros Ltd in the 1980's
After the death of Akbar, architect of the Mughal empire and active patron Persian Manuscripts, London, 1977, p.52, no.121. The dimensions of all the Ragamalaseries), they were all grouped together with cartouches labelling them
of the arts, his son Jahangir (r. 1605–27) ascended to the throne. As a prince, published pages from the present manuscript are almost identical. Many INSCRIPTIONS: as hosn.
Jahangir had established his own atelier in Allahabad and had strong artistic folios have different borders on each side, some of which are of marbled Tasvir-i husn parastish-i mahadev, 'Depiction of beauty. Worship of Mahadev
tastes. The books Jahangir commissioned ranged from literary works such paper. Our folio has blue borders on both recto and verso, which is rarer. (Shiva)' Another painting from this album sold in the sale of the Ancienne Collection
as the Razmnama (a Persian translation of the Hindu epic, the Mahabharata) The gold illuminations of animals and birds amidst foliage are in a style and Charles Gillot (1853-1903), Christie’s, Paris, 4 and 5 March 2008, lot 92. Two
This miniature comes from what is known as the ‘Hosn Album’, which is
to historical texts, including an illustrated version of the memoirs of his format typical of Persian-influenced early Mughal manuscripts, and very other paintings sold in these Rooms, 8 April 2008, lots 293 and 294. Another
th
characterised by fine 18 century miniatures all laid down on the same
reign, the Tuzuk-i Jahangiri. This finely illuminated folio comes from a royal close in style and quality to the Farhang-i Jahangiri. A further folio from the sold recently at Sotheby’s, London, 27 October 2021, lot 143.
gold-speckled margins with the gold identification cartouche above. Linda
manuscript of circa 1610 that must have been prepared for the emperor Shahnama part of this manuscript is in the Smithsonian, National Museum of
Leach suggested that the album was compiled by the Nawab of Awadh,
Jahangir. The artists responsible for the few known illustrated leaves of the Asian Art, inv. no. S1986.351.
116 In addition to the hammer price, a Buyer’s Premium (plus VAT) is payable. Other taxes and/or an Artist Resale Royalty 117
fee are also payable if the lot has a tax or λ symbol. Check Section D of the Conditions of Sale at the back of this catalogue.