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114
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[MUGHAL MINIATURES]. King Bahram Gur Exposes the Dishonesty …
See original version (Italian)
114
-
[MUGHAL MINIATURES]. King Bahram Gur Exposes the Dishonesty …
See original version (Italian)
Estimate €6,000 - €8,000
Voluntary lot
Description
[MUGHAL MINIATURES]. King Bahram Gur Exposes the Dishonesty of the Governor Rast Rowshan. [India, provincial Mughal school, late 17th century].
A refined miniature illustrating an episode from the *Haft Peykar* (*The Seven Portraits*) by Nezami Ganjavi (c. 1141–1209). The scene depicts the moment when Bahram Gur, having discovered the corruption of his governor Rast Rowshan, orders him to unearth and return the wealth stolen from the people. At the centre of the composition, several men retrieve three jars filled with treasure from a large pit, whilst a fourth has already been brought to the surface; to the right, the richly dressed governor appears before the king under the watch of two armed men. The upper part of the composition further develops the narrative through the figure of a shepherd with his flock, an allusion to the episode that leads Bahram to recognise his governor’s betrayal: the shepherd had punished his watchdog after discovering that it had conspired with the wolves against the flock. In the background, the royal palace is framed by rocky formations and vegetation, whilst two wild animals on the left evoke Bahram Gur’s traditional association with the hunt. The rendering of the rocks and foliage is particularly skilful, within a composition that bears witness to the enduring popularity of the classics of Persian literature in the visual culture of Mughal India.
Miniature on paper (235 × 265 mm), mounted on card and set within a green cloth passe-partout with an inner band woven in gold featuring undulating motifs. Generally in very good condition. (1)
See original version (Italian)
Auto-translation. Refer to original language for legal validity.
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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