Lot 73
SULTAN IBRAHIM IBN ADHAM OF BALKH VISITED BY ANGELS ‡
INDIA, RAJASTHAN, BUNDI OR RAGHOGARH, CIRCA 1800-20
Auction: 09 December 2026 from 14:00 GMT
Description
gouache on paper heightened in gold, depicting two scenes of Sultan Ibrahim Ibn Adham, meditating under a tree on the right and alone living within a cave, he is visited by five angels in brightly coloured robes bearing gifts and vessels, black and red border with black margin lines, verso with a line of nagari script in black ink
Dimensions
folio 22.8cm x 30.2cm, image 18.4cm x 28.3cm
Provenance
Formerly, in a private collection, Staten Island.
Private American collection.
Footnote
Based on Sufi legends recorded by writers like Farid al-Din 'Attar, the composition illustrates the king who renounced his throne for a life of ascetic mysticism. The piece reflects the rich narrative traditions of regional Indian art schools from the period, such as the Provincial Mughal or Rajput traditions, which frequently celebrated the lives and miracles of renowned mystics.
For a very similar composition from the Benkaim Collection, now in the Cleveland Museum of Art, see accession number 2018.160.