"Ibrahim Adham Visited by Two Angels," mid-1700's

Source: http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/search/LotDetail.asp?sid=&intObjectID=4457071&SE=CMWCAT04+290642+%2D713649526+&QR=M+1+77+Aqc0000900+281584++Aqc0000900+&entry=india&SU=1&RQ=True&AN=78
(downloaded Feb. 2005)

"Ibrahim Adham Visted by Two Angels. India, Oudh, mid-18th Century. Gouache and gold on paper; mounted on an album page with gilt borders and bright flowers; depicting the ascetic, Ibrahim Adham, meditating before a fire in a landscape under moonlight, the angels standing before him bearing gifts; the reverse with a central rosebush, butterflies at top and peacocks at bottom surrounded by gilt foliate borders. Folio: 16 13/16 x 10 3/8 in. (42.7 x 26.4 cm.); Image: 7 x 4 1/8 in. (17.8 x 10.5 cm.).

Lot Notes:  Ibrahim Adham was a 9th century Sultan of Balkh, who after receiving visionary dreams, renounced the world to live the life of an ascetic. The Sufi saint was cared for by angels, which became a popular theme in 18th century Mughal painting."

A leaf from Col Polier's album, c.1760

Source: http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/search/LotDetail.asp?sid=&intObjectID=4483547&SE=CMWCAT03+627796+1887436625+&QR=M+1+61+Aqc0000900+610547++Aqc0000900+&entry=india&SU=1&RQ=True&AN=62
(downloaded Apr. 2005)

"A MOUNTED PRINCE WITH LADY BATHING BY STREAM, MANNER OF MIR KALAN KHAN, OUDH OR LUCKNOW, CIRCA 1760 OR LATER. Gouache heightened with gold on paper, finely painted with mounted prince in headdress on blue and red horse, lady by riverside with her cream and red horse grazing, with fantastical trees and landscape and group of hunters in distance, in blue album page with various beasts in gold and flowers in silver and gold, with pink borders, mounted on card. Folio 15½ x 11in. (39.5 x 28cm.); miniature 7¾ x 5½in. (19.5 x 14cm.).

Lot Notes:  The distinctive style of mount with a broad band of naturalistic decoration painted in gold (here with wild animals) between two narrow borders with stylized floral motifs, and particularly the colouring, indicate that this comes from the Polier Album. A number of paintings from this album are in the Museum für Islamische Kunst, (J. Losty: After the Great Mughals, Mumbai, 2002, pp.43 and 46).

Antoine Louis Henri Polier, born in Lausanne 1741, entered the service of the British East India Company in 1757. By account of his Swiss nationality, he was never promoted beyond the rank of Captain. He resigned in 1776, and with the help of Hastings entered the service of the Nawabs of Oudh, Shuja and Asaf ud-daula as architect and engineer. He later served the Mughal Emperor at Delhi in a military command. He later served the Mughal Emperor at Delhi in a military command. He was later appointed Lieutenant Colonel by Hastings, with permission to reside in Lucknow (C. E. Buckland: Dictionary of Indian Biography, New York, 1906, p.339)."

"A group of women meeting with a yogi," Lucknow, c.1750

Source: http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/search/LotDetail.asp?sid=&intObjectID=4490680&SE=CMWCAT04+1235750+%2D675539828+&QR=M+1+99+Aqc0000900+1194672++Aqc0000900+&entry=india&SU=1&RQ=True&AN=100
(downloaded Apr. 2005)

"A GROUP OF WOMEN MEETING WITH A YOGI, MUGHAL INDIA, LUCKNOW, CIRCA 1750. Gouache heightened with gold on paper, the woman stand and kneel on a carpet before the dervish who is seated cross legged out side his hut within among the trees, mounted, framed and glazed -- miniature 8 1/8in. x 6.1/.4in. (20.5cm x 16cm.)."

"Palace garden in a river landscape: late Mughal, Oudh, ca. 1785; opaque watercolour and gold on paper"

Source: http://asiatica.org/misc/pleasure_gardens/
(downloaded Oct. 2006)