A SEATED PORTRAIT OF MUHAMMAD ADIL SHAH, SULTAN OF BIJAPUR (1601 - 1656)
PROPERTY FROM A PRIVATE AMERICAN COLLECTION
Possibly Rajasthan, North-Western India, late 18th - early 19th century

Opaque pigments, pencil, and black ink on paper, the vertical composition depicting an Indian ruler seated on a high chair, most probably Muhammad Adil Shah, Sultan of Bijapur, a hawk perched on his right hand indicating his hunting skills, a prayer bead necklace in his left hand testifying his religious nature, mounted on a later album page, set within black and white rules and gold-speckled cream and blue borders, the reverse with several inscriptions in black ink Devanagari in different hands reading Padshah-i Bijapur (the ruler of Bijapur), and Raja Adil Shah, 36.2cm x 25.8cm.

Provenance: Purchased from the private New York collection of Doris Wiener.

The distinctive turban and facial features of our sitter bear strong similarities with other portraits of Muhammad Adil Shah. For further comparison, please see Christie's New York, 20 March 2008, lot 250, and two paintings in the British Museum collection, acc. no. 1974,0617,0.4.28 and 1895,0915.1280.