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| 17th CE Portrait of Mogul ruler jahangir, Indiamissmalini.com |
What is surprising about the British is without an iota of inhibition or remorse, they never fail to avail themselves of the opportunities thrown at them to make money on the colonial loots even to day. Here, I am referencing to those descendents of lords and earls of East India Co or of the British Raj who brought back their collections made illegally or legally in india while on duty. For the descendants of those aristocratic families, selling artifacts, paintings, etc from the subcontinent at auctions helps them tide over the financial mess, if any, they have got into
In 2011 the huge portrait of Mogul ruler Jahangir that was sold for £ 1.42 million - Rs.10 crore in London. The artist was Abul Hasan, Nadir al-Zaman painted at Mandu and dated AH 1026/AD 1617. The highlight of this portrait is dating back to 1617, Jahangir is opulently painted in gold. It is a 6 ft high life-size portrait of famous Mogul emperor and still considered as one of the
rarest and most desirable 17th century paintings ever made. It was one of the top item at the auction house of Bonhams; the title of the auction was: Indian and Islamic Art Sale at Bonhams
Middle Eastern museum. was the final buyer. ''The Jahangir portrait in gouache heightened with gold leaf on a fine woven cotton canvas shows the emperor, who reigned from 1605 to 1627, seated on a European-style throne. His head is surrounded by a radiating nimbus and he is wearing an embroidered floral tunic over a patka and striped pyjama, with applied plaster jewellery. There is a circular pendant around the emperor's neck set with mica, with jade and glass vessels at his side and a carpet under his feet. The border has 26 cartouches of fine nasta'liq inscription''.
According to Alice Bailey, head of Indian and Islamic Art at Bonhams. “This is one of the rarest and most desirable 17th century paintings ever to come to auction. There is no other work of its kind known and its importance cannot be underestimated. The extraordinary detail and complexity of the painting both fascinate and bewitch the viewer. We are honoured to have sold it,”
