20th May, 2026 11:00
Live Sale: Indian, Islamic, Himalayan and South-East Asian Art 2026
16
THE GATHERING OF THE FEAST OF SHAH ABBAS, PERSIA, DATED 1860-1
in opaque colour on paper, inscribed twice in the image and along lower edge, depicting a lively feast with courtiers, attendants, musicians and dancers on elaborately decorated carpets, folio 25.8 x 35.9 cm.
Inscriptions:
Lower Left 'Painting of the lowliest Mirza Baba al-Husayni al-Imami in the year [1]277 [1860-1]'
Lower Right 'The gathering of the feast of Shah 'Abbas the Great in which 'Abd al-Mu'min Khan Uzbek and Zahr-i Mar Sultan and other pillars of the state are present'
By left hand figure 'Abd al-Mu'min Khan'
Provenance: Sotheby's, 14th October 1999, lot 57
The composition is taken from one of the fresco's decorating the interior of the Chihil Sutun. This depicts Shah Abbas feasting with the Shaybanid ruler Vali Muhammad Khan, whereas on our painting he has been misidentified as the earlier Uzbek ruler, 'Abd al-Mu'min Khan. A similar misidentification occurs on another 19th century version of this composition now in the Ferenc Hopp Museum of Asiatic Art in Budapest, acc. no. 51.462.1.
Sold for £2,400
in opaque colour on paper, inscribed twice in the image and along lower edge, depicting a lively feast with courtiers, attendants, musicians and dancers on elaborately decorated carpets, folio 25.8 x 35.9 cm.
Inscriptions:
Lower Left 'Painting of the lowliest Mirza Baba al-Husayni al-Imami in the year [1]277 [1860-1]'
Lower Right 'The gathering of the feast of Shah 'Abbas the Great in which 'Abd al-Mu'min Khan Uzbek and Zahr-i Mar Sultan and other pillars of the state are present'
By left hand figure 'Abd al-Mu'min Khan'
Provenance: Sotheby's, 14th October 1999, lot 57
The composition is taken from one of the fresco's decorating the interior of the Chihil Sutun. This depicts Shah Abbas feasting with the Shaybanid ruler Vali Muhammad Khan, whereas on our painting he has been misidentified as the earlier Uzbek ruler, 'Abd al-Mu'min Khan. A similar misidentification occurs on another 19th century version of this composition now in the Ferenc Hopp Museum of Asiatic Art in Budapest, acc. no. 51.462.1.
Auction: Live Sale: Indian, Islamic, Himalayan and South-East Asian Art 2026, 20th May, 2026
The sale includes the collection of Robert Skelton OBE, curator of Indian Art at the Victoria and Albert Museum. It comprises some exquisite 18th and 19th century Indian paintings and drawings as well as a fine group of modern Indian paintings with works by Shiavax Chavda (1914 - 1990), Francis Newton Souza (1924 - 2002), K Laxma Goud (B. 1940) and Jayashree Chakravarty (B. 1956). Tiles, Indian bronzes, thewa boxes, a silver gilt ewer, a ‘Koftgari’ pen box and a Mughal carved black jade dagger are also among the lots in this collection.
Also in the same sale is 10th -12th century Persian pottery, a monumental pair of 19th century doors, Persian and Syrian ceramics including tiles, also Iznic tiles from Ottoman Anatolia. Other lots include Indian bronze figures, small furniture, textiles and rugs.
Auction Location: London, UK
Monday 18th May: 10am to 5:30pm
Tuesday 19th May: 10am to 5pm
Viewing
PUBLIC EXHIBITION:
Sunday 17th May: 12pm to 4pm
Monday 18th May: 10am to 5:30pm
Tuesday 19th May: 10am to 5pm
CONTACT
indianandislamic@olympiaauctions.com + 44 (0)20 7806 5545
