1 / 2
Photo 1/2 du lotPhoto 2/2 du lot
Ader

239 - The Darbar of Akbar Shah II (r. 1806-37), India, Delhi, late…
See original version (French)

Estimate €600 - €800
Sale commission
Description
The Darbar of Akbar Shah II (r. 1806-37), India, Delhi, late 19th century, painting signed Zulfiqar 'Ali Khan Miniature painted in gouache and gold on a rectangular ivory plate, depicting an audience (durbar or darbâr) given by the Mughal emperor Akbar Shah II (r. 1806-37). The sovereign is depicted in the centre, aged and seated on an ornate canopied throne topped by two peacocks. On either side are a group of men, including his children and a European. The upper part of the scene is captioned in gold-backed cartouches in Persian: "Darbâr Akbar Shah Thanî" and signed in Persian and English: "Zulfiqar 'Ali Khan". In a giltwood frame. 18 x 14 cm Old restoration in the upper right corner, wear and minor damage to the frame. CITES document issued by the Kingdom of Belgium n° 2026/BE00615/CE. This miniature illustrates a darbâr (public audience) ceremony of the Mughal emperor Muhammad Akbar Shah, known as Akbar II (r. 1806-1837). The scene takes place in the Diwan-i Khas of Delhi's Red Fort, where the sovereign grants an audience to a gathering of men in whose midst he appears, seated on the Peacock Throne. Among the guests are his sons, the future Bahadur Shah and Mizra Jahangir, as well as a European in a tricorn on the left, identifiable as Sir David Ochterlony (1758-1825), British resident from 1818 to 1822, placing the scene around 1820. Shortly before the beginning of Akbar II's reign, the British had established their power in India. This type of audience was a frequent subject in Mughal painting, and this miniature is part of a tradition enriched here by European influences, notably in the use of perspective and the depiction of numerous three-quarter figures. This scene has been depicted several times with the same composition and the same protagonists, with simple variations in colour, decoration, format or support. Examples include the painting on paper in the British Library in London, attributed to the 1820s (Add. Or. 3079), and the painting on ivory in the Toledo Museum of Art in Ohio (2004,55). Some of the earliest darbâr paintings are attributed to the Delhi court painter Ghulam Murtaza Khan, and other copies followed, probably as souvenirs for the British. This was certainly the case with this work, which features captions in English.
See original version (French)
Auto-translation. Refer to original language for legal validity.
About the sale Archaeology & Arts of Islam and India
Auction location
Auction time 06/26/2026 at 1:30 PM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
You may also like