Lot 73
A PORTRAIT OF A MUGHAL COURTIER, POSSIBLY ISLAM KHAN RUMI
IN THE STYLE OF RAI CHITARMAN, INDIA, CIRCA 1670
Auction: 10 June 2026 from 14:00 BST
Description
drawing on paper, depicting the courtier standing facing left leaning on a sword, dressed in a jama and turban, a dagger secured to his patka, rubbed ink inscription towards the middle left, gold sprinkled green and dark blue borders, handwritten pencil notes on the reverse and on the backboard, mounted, glazed and framed
Dimensions
21cm x 13.5cm
Provenance
Previously, acquired from Ader Prichard Tajan, Paris, Hotel Drouot, 20 June 1973, lot 95.
Footnote
Rai Chitarman was a fine portrait artist working in the Mughal atelier for both the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan (r. 1592-1666) and his son Aurangzeb (r. 1658-1707). The drawing is possibly a portrait of Islam Khan Rumi, a courtier who came from to India from Basra in 1669 to serve at the court of Aurangzeb. He was killed at the battle of Bijapur on 13 June 1676.
For further discussion and comparisons see: M.C. Beach, The Grand Mogul Imperial Painting in India 1600 - 1660, Williamstown, Massachusetts, 1976, pp. 28, 74, 76, 77, 111f, no. 37, and; T. Falk and M. Archer, Indian Miniatures in the India Office Library, London, 1981, no. 107.