Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds including Oriental Rugs and Carpets
Christie’s announces the auction of the Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds including Oriental Rugs and Carpets taking place live at Christie’s King Street, London, on 27 April. This season the sale presents 240 works of art featuring examples of manuscripts, paintings, ceramics, metalwork, and carpets dating from the 9th to the 19th centuries.
Iran
The sale boasts an impressive array of Persian manuscripts and paintings from a number of single owner private collections. One of two masterpieces leading the sale is a Timurid painting, Baysunghur in the Guise of Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, Timurid Herat, first half 15th century. (Estimate £150,000-200,000), (illustrated on page 1). The painting captures the regal grandeur of a royal court scene, and is one of the earliest depictions of what later became a popular subject in Persian painting.
Another highlight is a Zand painting, arguably the best by the artist Muhammad Baqir who was one of the most celebrated artists active between 1740 and 1800. A Reclining Lady. signed Muhammad Baqir, Zand, Iran, dated AH 1173/1759-80 AD (estimate £150,000-250,000), (illustrated below left). Another highlight are a pair of Safavid album pages, one (illustrated below right) with the calligraphy signed Sultan Ali Mashhadi, Timurid Herat, late 15th or early 16th century, Persian poetry on paper. (Estimate £30,000-40,000).
Turkey
The Turkish section includes some impressive examples of Ottoman ceramics. As well as a number of important examples of Iznik pottery, the sale also has a small collection of ceramics from Kutahya a kiln site that gained in popularity after the decline of Iznik. The highlight of this section is A Lavender Ground Iznik Pottery Jug, Ottoman Turkey, circa 1570 (estimate £120,000-180,000), (illustrated on page 3 left). It is a wonderful example of a rare and visually striking group of Iznik pottery that was made for a short period around 1570 and which is typified by this coloured slip decoration that covers the bodies of the vessels. Another highlight from Ottoman Turkey is a Silk and Metal-Thread Banner (sanjak), (illustrated on page 3 right), Ottoman Istanbul, dated AH 1225/1810-11 AD (estimate £30,000-50,000). It is a rare survival of a type that would have been carried into battles in the farthest reaches of the Ottoman empire, and often survive now only in European museum collections, taken as war booty.
Continuing along a similar theme, the sale features a number of strong examples of arms and armour including a Jade-hilted Dagger (kard), Ottoman Turkey, scabbard and mounts 16th Century, decoration and hilt later, blade dated AH 1220/1805-6 AD (estimate £30,000-50,000), (illustrated page 3 below right).
The scabbard is decorated in niello showing the Sultan engaged in a variety of pursuits of leisure. The sale also includes an Illuminated Firman, or Royal Decree, of Abdulhamid I (R.1774-89) Ottoman, Istanbul, Turkey, dated 30 Rajab AH 1193/13 August 1779 AD (estimate £40,000-60,000), (illustrated below left). The subject concerns the appointment of the Office of the Sweeper (ferrashet) of the Tomb of the Prophet in Mecca.
India
The auction includes an impressive array of Indian manuscripts and paintings along with an important group of jewelled courtly objects from a private collection (illustrated on page 4 left). Leading the Indian works on paper is a Mughal painting of A Royal Cavalcade of Hunters and Chenchu couple stalking deer by night attributed to Fath Chand, Mughal India, late 17th century (estimate £150,000-200,000), (illustrated page 6, top left). The painting belongs a group which depict the juxtaposition of the tribal and royal hunt. The nocturnal landscape in which the scene takes place is one that gained in popularity in the Mughal court, probably due to the fascination with European chiaroscuro effects. (Illustrated page 4, top right), An Album of Company School Paintings of Mughal Monuments North India, 19th century. Watercolour on paper, the album comprising 40 paintings depicting monuments of Delhi, Agra and Fatehpur Sikri. (Estimate £20,000-30,000).
A magnificent group of bejewelled Mughal treasures (illustrated left), showcase the splendours of the Indian courts during the 16th century. The group of works include a Gem-Set Nephrite Jade Backscratcher, Mughal Indian, circa 1750-65. (Estimate £20,000-30,000); An Impressive Gem-Set Jade Hilted Dagger and Mounts Dagger and Fittings, North India or Deccan, circa 1700-1750. Scabbard lining North India or Iran, circa 1650. (Estimate £300,000-500,000); A Silver and partial Gilt Durbar Set, Mughal India, mid-18th century, in silver with tear-drop gilt. (Estimate £250,000-350,000); A Gem-set and Enamelled Silver Hookah set probably Lucknow, Mughal North India, 1750-1765. (Estimate £100,000-150,000).
Oriental Rugs and Carpets
‘Phoenix in Octagon’ rug, Central or Eastern Anatolia, late 15th / early 16th century. (Estimate £100,000-150,000) . (Illustrated centre), A ‘Ghirlandaio’ rug, West Anatolia, 17th century. (Estimate £50,000-70,000). (Illustrated right) A ‘Holbein’ variant rug central or East Anatolia, late 16th/early 17th century. (Estimate £80,000-120,000). All three carpets are from the same distinguished European collector and have not been seen on the market for the last 30 to 40 years,
Other carpets of note in the sale are two 18th century rugs woven in the Deccan in India. Due to strong trading ties with the Dutch East India Company, these rugs were traded with Japan where they were highly prized. So much so, they were invariably only used in the annual celebration of the traditional Kyoto Festival where they were honoured by being used to decorate the festival floats, which explains their excellent condition. Both rugs are consigned by a Japanese collector. One of the earliest Borjalu rugs from the Caucasus to appear on the market for some time, this rug has a powerful and potent design. (Illustrated on page 6, right), Property from a Distinguished European Collector; a Borjalu Rug, Kazak region, South Caucasus, early 19th century. (Estimate £40,000-60,000). (Illustrated on page 6 left), A Deccani Rug, South India, 18th century of Safavid design. (Estimate £15,000-20,000). (Illustrated on page 6, centre), A Deccani Rug, South India, 18th century of Safavid design. (Estimate £15,000-20,000).
Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds including Oriental Rugs and Carpets
Location: Christie’s King Street, London
Duration: 27 February 2023