Page 82 - ART OF THE ISLAMIC AND INDIAN WORLDS Carpets, Ceramics Objects, Christie's London Oct..27, 2022

INDIAN PAINTINGS FROM

THE LUDWIG HABIGHORST COLLECTION

The collecting and study of Indian painting has been central to the life Whilst rightly recognised for his excellent court portraiture, Govardhan
of Ludwig Habighorst. This lifelong journey and passion was ignited by showed a special interest in the depiction of sages and holy men, his ‘major
a chance encounter with Indian miniatures some fifty years ago. Driven contribution to the history of Mughal painting’ (Okada, op.cit., p.196). More so
by his eye rather than a purely academic approach, collecting has been a than any other artist he could skilfully evoke both their spiritual existence and
creative and sensual process for the professor of Radiology. The Ludwig the profound wisdom they communicated to their disciples (Okada, op.cit.,
Habighorst Collection encompasses fine examples of Mughal, Pahari and p.357). A remarkable painting of a group of holy men, in the Metropolitan
Deccani painting from some of the great masters of their age. It spans a Museum of Art (Inv.55.121.10.10r) shows his mastery in this regard. The
great breadth of subjects but particularly leans towards his interest in the Metropolitan Museum of Art painting was likely a work for the ill-fated prince
visual expression of human nature replete with its many vicissitudes. Since Dara Shikoh, with whom Govardhan had a close relationship. It has been
this journey began, Ludwig Habighorst has been responsible for authoring suggested that the Prince commissioned a number of Govardhan's studies
many important books and articles on the subject of Indian painting and of ascetics (S.C. Welch, India: Art and Culture 1300-1900, New York, 1985,
the works from his collection have been showcased around the world in pp.243-44), opening up the possibility that our painting was created for that
numerous exhibitions at major institutions. same patron.
The present painting would fall into this category of ascetic painting. At
the centre a prince, sat on a carpet and propped up by a large cushion. He
is seemingly in animated conversation with a fur-capped sage. In front a
64
kneeling man with an expression of deep focus appears to be mixing food
A PRINCE CONVERSES WITH A SAGE
of some sort opposite a pet deer. Behind the prince – who conceivably is
ATTRIBUTED TO GOVARDHAN, MUGHAL INDIA, CIRCA 1605
Khurram (b.1592) – stand two attendants. A cat, sat on the rug stares right
Opaque pigments heightened with gold on paper set between black and
out at the viewer . This work appears to relate very closely to, and probably
gold rules, a strip of plain paper above and below, mounted in later pink paper
pre-dates, an illuminated border to a page of calligraphy by Faqir ‘Ali from
margins, the reverse with Mughal royal library stamps
the Staatsbibliothek, Berlin (MS.A.117, f.25b). The prince, sage and kneeling
Painting 6 x 3qin. (15.2 x 8.8cm.); folio 8q x 5¡in. (21.8 x 13.7cm.)
figure of our painting have been relocated the upper margins of the album
£80,000-100,000 US$92,000-110,000 page. Crucially that work is signed Govardhan, so our painting should also be
€92,000-110,000 attributed to him too (Seyller, op.cit., p.368).
EXHIBITED: Behind the group in the foreground is a beautifully delicately coloured
Islamische Kunst aus deutschen Privatbesitz, Hamburg, Museum für Kunst tree within which two birds perch and a number of others are flying about.
und Gewerbe, 18 June-22 August 1993.
This also relates to another work, ‘Abu’l-Husain Qarafi foresees a vision of
future married bliss for Abu Bakr al-Duqqi’, now in the British Library (OR.
LITERATURE:
J. Bautze in C. P. Haase, J. Kröger, U. Linert. Morgenländische Pracht - 1362.f.142.a). This illustration to the Nafahat al-Unsis dated to the Mughal
Islamische Kunst aus deutschem Privatbesitz, Edition Temmen, Hamburg regnal year 49 (1604-05), attributed to Govardhan and features an assorted
1993, p.264, pl.186. group of birds which, besides their more sombre colouring, anticipate those
L. V. Habighorst, Blumen - Bäume - Göttergärten in indischen Miniaturen, of the present work (Seyller, op.cit., p.365).
Ragaputra Edition, Koblenz, 2010, p.106, pl.75.
L. V. Habighorst, 'Hierarchy and Models. Some Notes on Shaiks in Mughal On a hilltop in the far distance we also see the outline of a European
Painting' in U. Bhatia, A. N. Khanna and V. Sharma, The Diverse World of
Indian Painting, Aryan Books, New Delhi, 2009, p. 31, pl.4.1. cityscape amidst a crop of trees. This nods to the important influence
J. Seyller, 'Govardhan', in M. C. Beach, E. Fischer and B.N. Goswamy (eds.), European art had over the work of Govardhan, with European prints having
Masters of Indian Painting 1100-1650, Artibus Asiae Publishers, Zürich, Suppl. been gifted to the Mughal court and circulated amongst the imperial atelier.
48, 2011, p.357-374, fig.10. In particular, the expert handling of drapery by Govardhan is something likely
to have been derived from studying European models. Whilst demonstrated
The painter Govardhan was one of the leading artists of the Mughal atelier here, this skill becomes a focal point in a stunning painting of a horse sold by
under the emperors Akbar, Jahangir and Shah Jahan. Considered by Okada Christie’s, New York, 19 June 2019, lot 322. The great influence of European
to be the ‘most penetrating and remarkable portraitist in the imperial atelier’ art on Govardhan is further attested to by his illustration of Aurangzeb
(A. Okada, Indian Miniatures of the Mughal Court, New York, 1992, p.203) the facing a mad elephant in the Padshahnama(RCIN 1005025.ad). One of the
artist is characterised by his granular modelling of faces, restrained style and few paintings in the manuscript to depict shadow, the painting shows that
supreme talent in capturing the emotions of his sitters. Described by himself Govardhan, much like the earlier master Bichitr, was more than capable of
as one of the “houseborn” artists (khanezad), Govardhan was son of the mastering European painterly concepts.
painter Bishan Das but shows very little stylistic debt to his father (J. Seyller,
“Govardhan”, in M.C. Beach, E. Fischer and B.N. Goswamy (eds.), Masters The nim qalam style, literally meaning half pen, is executed with a very thin
of Indian Painting 1100-1650, Zurich, 2011, p.362). Thought to have trained black brush and minimal polychrome highlights accentuated by gold. The
under Akbar’s master artist Basawan, Govardhan was an active court painter style which originated in Safavid Iran became popular in Mughal court
from a young age. He remarkably was responsible for five solo illustrations painting at the end of the 16 century and entered a ‘decade long vogue’
th
to the imperial Akbarnama of 1596-97 when he could not have been much greatly influencing Govardhan’s work (Seyller, op.cit., p.362). The technique
older than twenty years old. The painter found particular favour with Jahangir was well suited to Govardhan’s own style which favoured restraint, keen
and was one of a number of artists who moved with the then Prince Salim observation, fine modelling of faces and calculated interpretation of pattern.
to his rebel court in Allahabad. He was granted prominent roles for most of Of the five solo works Govardhan painted for the Akbarnama of 1596-97, two
the important imperial projects of the period including a number of exquisite of them are nim qalam.
borders for the great Jahangir Album.

80 In addition to the hammer price, a Buyer’s Premium (plus VAT) is payable. Other taxes and/or an Artist Resale Royalty 81
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.