BONHAMS TO SELL RARE 17th CENTURY MUGHAL PORTRAIT

THE LARGEST KNOWN MUGHAL PAINTING IS TO BE OFFERED AT BONHAMS, LONDON, ON 5.APRIL FOR AN ESTIMATED PRICE OF UPWARDS OF £1 MILLION. IT IS IN THE STYLE OF A EUROPEAN PORTRAIT OF THE EARLY 17th CENTURY. THE PORTRAIT WHICH WILL LEAD A SALE OF WORKS OF INDIAN AND ISLAMIC ART IS A UNIQUE PAINTING OF THE MUGHAL EMPEROR JAHANGIR WHO RULED INDIA 1605-27 AND IS ATTRIBUTED TO THE MUGHAL ARTIST ABUL HASAN, NADIR AL-ZAMAN OR 'WONDER OF THE AGE'. PREVIOUSLY SHOWN IN THE NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY IN AN EXHIBITION ON THE INDIAN PORTRAIT IN 2010, THE EMPEROR IS SHOWN ON A GOLD DECORATED THRONE HOLDING A GLOBE, WEARING ELABORATE ROBES AND JEWELRY. THE SURROUNDING PERSIAN INSCRIPTION STATE IT WAS PAINTED AT MENDU IN THE AH1026/AD1617. ALICE BAILEY, HEAD OF ISLAMIC AND INDIAN ART AT BONHAMS SAID: '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 AND ITS IMPORTANCE CANNOT BE UNDERESTIMATED. THE EXTRAORDINARY DETAIL AND COMPLEXITY OF THE PAINTING BOTH FASCINATE AND BEWITCH THE VIEWER.'